The wheel cost �100

The wheel, which is 19 feet in width, was transported by the Territorial Army from Annesley Colliery in Nottinghamshire to the Apedale Country Park near Newcastle-under-Lyme.

The wheel - bought for just �100 - has now been placed on a specially-constructed stand above the Apedale Heritage Centre, which portrays miners' lives above and below ground.

Keith Meeson, a spokesman for the centre, told the BBC's Midlands Today programme that the decline in the mining industry in Staffordshire meant that the search for the wheel had to be widened.

30,000 miners

"At the time we were setting the heritage centre up, the majority of the local coalmines had been closed down so, obviously, we had to look further afield."

As many as 30,000 miners were once employed in the north Staffordshire coalfields - none remains.

Mr Meeson added: "To see this wheel going up today, I'm very proud for all the miners in the area.

"It's just incredible, it's going to be there for a good many years. It's not just credit to me, but to everyone who's been involved with it."

The pithead wheel, which stands 750 feet above sea level, is due to be officially unveiled some time in June.