Waterloo Colliery Flood: Monument marks miners rescue

The Waterloo Colliery flooded in 1949

A memorial marking the rescue of 182 miners during a flood has been unveiled.

They were saved when the Waterloo Colliery, in the Forest of Dean, flooded in 1949.

Renowned sculptor Antony Dufort was chosen to make a sculpture for the monument after winning a competition.

Forest of Dean Freeminers Association president Jonathan Wright said the artwork captured the miners' "heroic spirit".

Mr Wright (pictured left) said the monument was also important for future generations to see

"I think it's a history to be proud of," he said. "I think mining itself is a heroic story, the communities that held together through the different struggles.

"The monument represents the spirit of the Waterloo workers and the Forest community."

Miners who were saved from the flood attended the event with their friends and families

According to The Forest of Dean History group, the coal pit flooded on 30 June.

During the rescue mission 177 men escaped using a shaft cage lift. Another five missing men were pulled out of the mine using another shaft.

The pit was closed in 1959.

Mr Dufort said it took him three months to make the sculpture

Robert Morgan's father, Burt Morgan, features on the monument's plaque

He said his father played a major role in rescuing the miners.

"He was a strong swimmer and had a rope and pulled people back one at a time," he said.

"He was a mechanical engineer in the mines. There was an immense amount of bravery."

The Lydbrook Brass Band came to play at the unveiling

Mr Dufort said he had been interested in the mining community for a long time.

"I first started doing paintings of miners in the 1960s," he said.

"When I came to the Forest of Dean about 40 years ago all of my neighbours were all miners or from miners' families."

Mr Wright said the monument would be an important marker in history for future generations.