Plans for the memorial statue were first made around four years previously,and since that time,the Cwm Community Care committee had raised between £25,000 and £30,000 to fund the project.

The 10 feet high statue of the miner was unveiled on Friday 27th March which coincided with the 82nd anniversary of the Marine Colliery disaster today where 52 men were killed.

Around 70 people turned up for the opening including children from Waunlwyd Primary and Cwm Primary School.

MPs and Assembly Members attended the ceremony as well ex-miners and local people and the statue was blessed by Reverend Peter Abbott of St Paul’s Church in Cwm.

Cwm Community Care committee Chairman Mervyn Robbins, said all of the hard work had been worth it, he said

Mr Robbins, 70, said the project would have cost around £40,000 had it not been for people giving up their time to help.

The committee applied for various grants and was presented with a cheque for the final grant of £4,000 from Awards for All Wales by AM Trish Law at the ceremony.