Volunteers have come together to get Snibston Colliery ready to be open to the public this Spring.

On April 10, the colliery buildings will be open, with guided tours by former miners from the local pits.

The colliery, a Scheduled Monument and only one of five such collieries in the UK, is located in Snibston Colliery Park - and the volunteers are currently cleaning, dressing the rooms for display and prepared to welcome the public once again.

The last colliery tour was seven years ago but, due to the regeneration of the Country Park and the pandemic, it has remained closed to the public until now.

The volunteers have been brought together by the Snibston Heritage Trust which is working in collaboration with Leicestershire County Council to prepare the colliery site for public and educational tours.

The Trust is registered with the Charity Commission, and is main objective is to provide educational support and public access to the mining and industrial heritage of Coalville and the surrounding area.

A major consideration is re-introducing access to Snibston Colliery.

The County Council and Trust have had plans to re-open the colliery buildings once Covid-19 restriction were eased and the tours could be conducted safely.

The tours will show the public how a coalmine of the 1970s worked, with guides telling their story of working in the local collieries such as Snibston and Whitwick.

The volunteers are preparing the lamp room, control room, medical centre, No.2 pit top and winding house.

Bryan Hallam, trustee and colliery guide said: "Snibston Colliery is too important to be inaccessible which is why the Snibston Heritage Trust Volunteers are helping with cleaning and preparation of the site.

"The colliery is a rare survivor of the mining industry and I know the local community is very proud of the preserved colliery and our coal mining heritage.

"There are around 12 volunteers and we would welcome more".

Future work the Trust will undertake includes restoration of the mining equipment located around the pit tops, developing educational visits with volunteers telling the story for the local mining community in period costumes and future events and activities on the site.

The group are looking for volunteers who have an enthusiasm and desire to see the mining heritage continue and flourish, and share this passion with the local community.

If you would like to become a volunteer with the Snibston Heritage Trust please contact [email protected], telephone 01530 833521 or look the group up on Facebook.