A rare medal awarded to a gallant South Kirkby miner for rescuing a buried colleague is to be auctioned off today.

The Edward Medal - a forerunner of the George Cross - was presented to George Smith in 1922 after he risked his life to save a fellow miner who was trapped for eight hours after a roof fall at the pit.

The medal is expect to fetch around £1,000 when it is goes under the auctioneer's hammer in London later today.

Mr Smith's bronze medal is expected to fetch between £800 and £1,200 when it is auctioned at Spink in Bloomsbury, London.

The medal was named after King Edward VII and was introduced in 1907 to recognise "acts of bravery by miners, quarrymen and industrial workers in mines and factory accidents and disasters."

The medal was replaced in 1971 by the George Cross.

The Edward Medal (Mines) was awarded only 395 times, making it one of the rarest of British gallantry awards.

To read the complete article, see:Medal goes under hammer(www.hemsworthandsouthelmsallexpress.co.uk/news/local-news/medal-goes-under-hammer-1-6744817)

To read the complete Spink lot description, see:Edward Medal (Mines), G.V.R., 1st type, bronze (George Smith.(/www.spink.com/lot-description.aspx?id=14002000015)