BETWS councillors would like to see "the finishing touches" made to a memorial to Betws Colliery in Maesquarre Road – which still bears no plaque five years after it was created.

The memorial – featuring an old shearer drum for a coalcutter typical of the type used at the last deep mine sunk in Wales – was the brainchild of former county councillor Dr John Dorian Evans, who worked down the mine himself.

Cllr Rhydian Murray said it was virtually the only evidence that a colliery which had once employed hundreds of men had ever existed.

"There should be some explanation as to what it is," he told colleagues.

"There should be a plaque there – when you talk about the old pit people want to know what this piece of equipment is."

Dr Evans told the Guardian the memorial was created after he was allocated £5,000 as a county councillor. "I donated some of my allocation to the village school, some towards seats in the village and the rest towards the memorial," he said.

"Putting a plaque there is continuously on my mind – Betws New Drift Mine was one of the most productive in south Wales. In its heyday it was producing 26,000 tonnes of coal a week and was nicknamed "The Coal Factory".

"The money is currently being held by the Miners Welfare in Ammanford – I've spoken to the secretary, Anthony Jones, about it as well as to the local member Ryan Bartlett and developers TRJ – and I don't see what else I can do.

"Having said that I have drawn up an inscription and would like to see a plaque put up to highlight the success of Betws New Mine and the work of the men employed there."