Police called amid Staffordshire mining memorial row

But plans for a £70,000 miners' memorial in Rugeley have been overshadowed by a bitter dispute, which has got so out of hand that police have been called to break up tensions.

The main gripe splitting groups is over the location of the planned memorial, but in recent weeks the row has intensfied with one councillor branding it 'a very sad saga'.

Four 8ft-high sculptures are being installed in the town to celebrate the hundreds of families who have links with the mining industry. Plans for the memorial, being organised by the Lea Hall and Brereton Collieries Memorial Society, which is organising the project, have been in the pipeline for several months.

But while they quickly captured the imagination of the townsfolk of Rugeley, it soon became apparent the location was going to split council chiefs and members of the community. Hundreds of people have said in a variety of surveys that the memorial should be installed on the Globe Island – but it then emerged safety fears could scupper those proposals.

Brian Batey, from the Lea Hall and Brereton Collieries Memorial Society, explained why the group wants to site the memorial on the Globe Island – and why feelings are running high over the scheme.

He said: "We asked the people of Rugeley where they they wanted the memorial and they said the Globe Island because no matter which way you come into the town you pass it. It means those coming from the villages will see it, those coming from Cannock and Hednesford will see it and those coming from Brereton will see it.

"A lot is being said and it has become political but that is nothing to do with us. We just want to get a miners' memorial in the town to commemorate what they did."

But Rugeley Town Council chairman John Rowley said he would personally like to see the memorial located in Market Square. Around 7,000 surveys have been sent out in the town asking residents where they would like the memorial to be situated.

Councillor Rowley said: "Fears over health and safety were raised after planning was given and once we knew about those concerns it would have been irresponsible for us to say we had no problem with it being on the Globe Island.

"Staffordshire County Council are conducting a review and are due to let us know the outcome of that. Personally I agree with what traders and businesses in the town are saying, which is that the statues could be a real focal point in the town, allow better public interaction and draw people in.

"These are going to be really beautifully intricate statues and it would be nice to have a bench next to them. The whole thing is becoming rather sad because something like this should be uniting us as a town, not driving a wedge between us.

"If the county council come back and say there is no health and safety issue and the majority of people have said they want it on the Globe Island that is democracy and we will accept that." In a bizarre twist, Staffordshire Police got involved in the ongoing saga – first when allegedly offensive comments were made by trader Neil Phillips on an online Rugeley forum, then when they removed former miner Tom Christopher, aged 72, from a council meeting.

Councillor Tim Jones said after the latest developments: "This is a very sad saga. I think the issue needs to be resolved soon because it is causing enormous divisions.

"Everybody wants there to be a miners' memorial. If things were calmer we could sit down and agree a way forward."

Councillor John Rowley confirmed that Mr Christopher, who has links with the area, but who lives in Greater Manchester, was shown the door for disrupting the meeting. "The project could have been organised differently," said Councillor Rowley. "It has put a lot of strain on people and there is concern about comments made on internet social networks,"

Mr Phillips, aged 44, of sandwich shop Crumbs, in Market Street, was arrested on suspicion of a racially aggravated public order offence. He was questioned but no charge was brought. He said: "It's an over-reaction. Tim Jones could have reported me to Facebook, but he went to the police, which I think was a bit over the top. I also think the police response was over the top. I was not charged with anything."

Staffordshire Police today said part of its role was to investigate.

The memorial will be a tribute to miners who worked at the Brereton pit and its successor Lea Hall.