A SET of four medals that help tell the story of the borough's biggest mining disaster have been bought by Bolton Museum and Art Gallery.

They belonged to Alfred Tonge, former manager of the Pretoria Pit and the man who led the rescue attempts on that fateful day in Westhoughton in 1910 when 344 men lost their lives.

The medals -- three bravery awards, along with an earlier award he received after completing his apprenticeship in 1890 -- only came to light after the recent death of Alfred Tonge's niece.

The family now lives in Scotland and did not recognise what they had found. Evelyn Paton, executor for Miss Tonge's estate, contacted Bolton Museum and sent the medals south for identification.

Sean Baggaley, keeper of social history, said: "The Pretoria Pit Disaster is still talked about by local people -- it changed so many lives. Alfred Tonge was the most highly decorated of all the rescuers but until now we had no idea where his medals were. Amazingly none of Alfred's surviving relatives had any idea of his acts of bravery."

The bravery awards Alfred received were The Edward Medal (mines), a civilian gallantry award for life-saving in mines and quarries, of which only 10 were awarded as a result of the Pretoria Pit Disaster; the Life Saving medal of the Order of St John of Jerusalem, of which only 21 were awarded as a result of the pit disaster; and Bolton and District Humane Society Medal, a specially designed medal to commemorate the actions of December 21, 1910.

Cllr Martyn Cox, Bolton Council's Executive Member for Culture, said: "These medals are an important part of our local history and we are delighted to add them to our collection of Pretoria Pit items."

The medals, along with other items telling the story of the disaster,areon display now.

An exhibition is also running at Westhoughton Library, where a collection of Pretoria Pit items is on permanent display.