Up to 160 servicemen from the same Staffordshire mining village who lost their lives in the First World War are being honoured at last - 100 years after their deaths.

A Portland stone memorial is to be installed at Chadsmoor, near Cannock, listing all the names of the fallen following a major campaign by councillors who form the village trust, with support from relatives.

All the men who died lived in Chadsmoor village and worked at one of the then 17 pits which formed the Cannock Chase coalfield at the time of the Great War.

Campaigners have raised £12,000 towards the 4ft-high (1.2 metres) memorial which will be unveiled at a special dedication service in the village on April 18.

The service will be followed by a march involving various organisations linked to the local Anglican church for a service of dedication and thanksgiving.

One of the fallen, Sapper Thomas Brough, aged 47, had lived at Huntington Terrace Road and was killed by a sniper's bullet on Christmas Day 1915. His relatives have donated a substantial contribution to the amount needed.

Mr Brough, who was serving with the Tunnelling Company of the Royal Engineers, was married with seven children and his grandson, Jesse Brough, and his immediate family has made the project possible through a generous financial donation.

The Brough family operate a metal recycling business on the Hixon Industrial Estate, Stafford.

Chairman of the memorial fund, Coun Derek Davis said: "I'm overwhelmed with what people have done and how generous they have been with their time and money.

"Chadsmoor has always been a deprived ward – it had no money and virtually everyone worked in the pits. Out of those 160 men who died, not one was an officer. These were normal, ordinary, working-class people. The whole place was owned and run by the collieries."

Coun Davis commended the Vicar of St Chad's church, Rev Jane Nash, for her support from the outset as well as the "tremendous gesture" by locally born, Mr Brough.

"People have been very generous in their support. We received several thousands of pounds from one family because their grandad was among the number. It is a shame it has taken 100 years to recognise these men.

"We know the whole community will join us in remembering these brave men who after all these years will be publicly honoured."

Coun Davis, a former chairman of Cannock Labour Party, also expressed "a debt of gratitude" to retired teacher Paul Bedford from Penkridge who led the research and is writing a book outlining the details of each man, his life, his family and where he died.

Anyone wishing to make further contributions or get more information can call Coun Muriel Davis on telephone 01543 423148.