In pictures: Save the Cage reveal Lochore exhibition

Benarty's industrial heritage was centred on coal mining. In Ballingry, Lochore, Crosshill, and Glencraig, mining was the backbone of the local economy, providing jobs and fuelling its economic growth.

On Wednesday, a piper led the march from the Willie Clarke Centre, down to the site of the exhibition, a speech was delivered, and then visitors were invited back to the centre for a cup of tea and a piece.

The idea behind the Save the Cage group was to bring historical artefacts, acquired from the National Mining Museum, to go on show at Lochore Meadows, which was finally revealed with a ceremony.

Iain Chalmers, chair of the group, said: "It was a braw day, we had a good turnout and were well represented.

"We welcomed Professor Jim Phillips from the University of Glasgow, who has been a good friend to the miners. I'd kept a diary throughout the strike, and I gave it to the Kirkcaldy museum, he saw my diary."

The exhibition includes a transportation bogey, coal shearers and conveyor pas and of course, the mine shaft cage.

Alongside the items are information boards giving more context to the tools.

Iain continued: "The exhibition tells a tale and the tale is the miners journey, from the surface to the cage.

"People don't realise what it was like to travel vertically in a hole in the ground, it gives them an idea. Ten men were in there, cramped like sardines.

"When you look at that and visualise it, it's a miner's journey and they're designed to be interactive."

As with many mining areas, the Benarty villages suffered greatly when the pits closed, having a devastating effect on the livelihoods of people and the local economy.

Iain and the group hope that the exhibition will encourage locals and visitors to come and learn more about the village's history and encourage schools to organise visits.

Iain added: "It's an important link to the past, when you tell kids about coal, sometimes they find it hard to believe you burned stones on a fire!"