THE Save The Cage Appeal is moving along swiftly as the bid to bring a mining heritage theme to Lochore Meadows Country Park has reached a new stage.

And a public meeting has been called for Tuesday April 30 at 7.30, at Lochore Institute, to outline what is happening.

Ian Chalmers, the Cowdenbeath man who has been spearheading Save The Cage, said that the original plans to bring equipment from the Levenmouth area to the Meedies had been replaced with a commitment from the Scottish Mining Museum to look at sending items they have which would be suitable for display.

Said Mr Chalmers: "We are pleased to announce that the Save The Cage campaign has reached a successful resolution as the owners of the former Frances Colliery cage, the Fife Mining Heritage Preservation Society, will be working in conjunction with the Fife Heritage Railway Project to repair, preserve and display the cage along with the AB coal cutter and mine car.

"We are disappointed that these will not be displayed at the Meadows but pleased these will be displayed in East Fife."

He added: "In March Brian Menzies and myself, on behalf of Save The Cage, had met with the FMHPS to agree to pay them £2,000 for the cage, cutter and car plus £250 for another year's storage and after a highly successful fundraiser held at the Old Ship, Lochgelly, we were to pay that cheque on April 15.

"On receipt of the information that they had changed their plan we held a committee meeting to rescind the decision to pay them the money.

"However, since then we have made contact with collection curator at the Scottish Mining Museum, David Bell, and went to meet him and these talks have explored the prospect of being able to get some equipment from the Lady Victoria Colliery at Lochore Meadows.

"Mr Bell feels there are a number of items which would be suitable and our talks will be continuing.

"The Mining Museum has been very helpful and supportive of our quest of bringing some coal industry heritage items to the Meedies and park manager Ian Laing has been involved in the talks."

He added: "It is possible that a cage from the Lady Victoria will replace the one from Levenmouth, so things are looking promising.

"We want to be able to let the public know what is happening at Tuesday's meeting at Lochore Institute."