When Scotland still had a coal industry the annual miners' gala was the highlight of the social calendar as entire pit villages downed tools for a day and relaxed in the summer sunshine.

Now, a group of retired miners, is to resurrect the oldest miners' gala - the Fife Gala first held in 1871.

Mr Dan Imrie, secretary of the Fife Mining Heritage Society, said: ''We want to lay on a day that will take older people back to their childhood when the miners' gala was the highlight of the year and show young children what life was like when their grandparents were their age.

''Since the pits closed a lot of the traditions of the villages have disappeared but we want to make sure that the galas don't disappear forever, and hopefully we can also recreate the old spirit of mining communities.

''It is very important to our communities that we revive the galas and preserve mining heritage generally before the old miners all die out and our ways are forgotten.''

The move to resurrect the Fife Miners' Gala follows a decision to scrap a similar event in Edinburgh last year because of a lack of funds.

Miners' galas were once a common sight in pit villages in Ayrshire, Lanarkshire, Lothian, and Fife during the summer months.

The highlight of the day was the races for both children and parents which inevitably became the source of much discussion over the year ahead.

Local football teams, bowling clubs, pigeon fanciers, and even greyhound owners would also compete for gala-day trophies.

However, the galas were much more than just village fetes as they also had a serious political side to them.

Entire villages used to march from the pit head to the village park carrying their picnics and proudly waving union banners accompanied by the pit band. Then, on their arrival at the gala venue, the throngs would be addressed by union leaders and politicians.

Plans for the Fife Miners' Gala at Bowhill in August include a march from a monument on the site of the now-defunct pit with traditional banners, followed by speeches from politicians and union leaders.

Mr Imrie said: ''We want very much to maintain the left-wing feel of the original gala days with a march and speakers. Politics was a very important part of the gala-day celebrations and we would like to revive that side to the gala.''