THE moves to bring mining artefacts to Lochore Meadows Country Park moved further ahead last week when a site visit was held to view the former Frances Colliery items which mining heritage enthusiasts want to see at the Meedies.

Last Tuesday a site visit to Leven took place to see the Frances' cage, coal cutter and mine car, and the visitors included Claire Baker MSP, Benarty Councillor Mary Lockhart and Councillor Bobby Clelland. They were impressed with the artefacts, particularly the last cage in Scotland and the need to have these artefacts preserved for future generations to appreciate the coal miners of Fife.

This was the second site visit with one taking place the previous Tuesday with members from various Central Fife Heritage groups, including Willie Clarke, who firmly believes in the Meadows becoming a home for mining artefacts.

Said local man Robert Chalmers, who is enthusiastically trying to ensure that the Meedies does house these last parts of the Fife mining industry: "Everyone was very interested in having these historically valuable artefacts preserved and displayed at the Lochore Country Park.

"I feel I have gone as far as possible as an individual in regards to this and the next step will be to form a properly constituted group so we can appeal for funding to allow the purchase of these items and have bases constructed to display them on and have them placed in the Park in the vicinity of the pug and the Mary winding gear."

Added Robert: "Hopefully this group will be formed in September and if all goes well the park will have the three new attractions added in 2019".