It has taken 10 years of work to see the statue created

The 7ft sculpture shows a collier leaning on a coal truck, and incorporates a panel telling the story of the rise of industrial south Wales.

The statue aims to celebrate the links between Cardiff and the valleys.

Its unveiling follows a 10-year campaign led by Margaret Harries, 75, whose late husband Ron had the idea.

Mr Harries, who was a coal exporter in Cardiff for 40 years, wanted to create a permanent tribute to the mining, transport and shipping workers who formed the link between the coalfaces and the cargo ships.

Margaret Harries has been a driving force behind the project

The statue, placed near the lightship moored at the exit from the Roath Basin, was designed by the late John Clinch of Tregaron and completed by Jon Buck of Bath.

Mrs Harries said: "The sculpture is special in that it celebrates the lives of all those engaged in cutting coal, handling it throughout its journey to the port and stowing it safely on board the ships that took it to all parts of the globe.

"These people contributed so much to making Cardiff a great city and to ensuring that the south Wales coalfield was known the world over."

Mr Harries died just months after setting up the "from pit to port" committee which has worked towards creating the statue, and his widow took over in his place.

"I had no idea of the time it would take to enlist support and raise the �55,000 needed for a fitting tribute," she said.

'Constant reminder'

The committee's work was supported by Herian (Heritage in Action), an organisation which aims to use south Wales' industrial past for tourism and the community.

Director Jeff Pride said it was difficult to appreciate that around 250,000 people worked in the mining industry in the valleys.

"This statue that links the two industries and the communities that underpinned them will be a constant reminder of that past," he said.