PLANS to make a memorial in tribute to more than 100 men and boys who died in a colliery explosion in Torfaen have been submitted to the council.

The Friends of the Llanerch Memorial Fund are behind a planning application to install a memorial monument at the site of the the Llanerch Colliery disaster in Abersychan.

On the morning of February 6, 1890, 176 men and boys were killed in a gas explosion at the site.

Plans include installing a blue/black brick plinth with the names of those killed engraved in stainless steel in front of the former shaft at the pit.

As well as the 176 who died in the blast, it will include the names of five miners who died in an underground explosion at Glyn Pits on January 23, 1890.

The six-foot long, angled plinth is planned to be unveiled in time to coincide with the 129th anniversary of the disaster on February 6 next year, subject to planning permission being granted.

Carol Watkins, secretary of the Friends of the Llanerch Memorial Fund, said it will be the first monument to commemorate the disaster.

She said: "So few people seem to know anything about it.

"I think it's important people know the price paid just to extract the coal and to think that 12-year-olds went down their and lost their lives with their fathers.

"It's part of the heritage of the area. It was the biggest loss of life around here and we have got nothing to commemorate them."

The second phase of the plans include making five-foot tall wooden sculptures, including one of a man carrying a young boy away from the pit, planned to be made by artist Chris Wood.

Several boys as young as 12 are known to have died in the explosion.

The idea for the project came after a service was held to mark the 125th anniversary of the disaster. This led to the setting up of the Friends of the Llanerch Memorial Fund, which has raise more than £10,000 through various fundraising events and donations. Its work has also included researching and writing a book.

To find out more search Friends of the Llanerch Memorial Fund on Facebook.