Thousands of men conscripted into the pits as miners during World War II are to be recognised for their contribution to the war effort.

Up to 50,000 young men became Bevin Boys, named after wartime minister Ernest Bevin, who devised the scheme to maintain the mining industry's output.

The Bevin Boys Association has long campaigned for its members' efforts to be recognition as war service.

Veterans Minister Derek Twigg agreed to badges being struck for the survivors.

It was in 1942 that, due to a serious shortage of coal, Ernest Bevin introduced various schemes to get extra men to go into the coal mines.