A NEW mine opens in the Forest of Dean this week - but there's no coal in it!

"You would have to go in a couple of hundred yards and then turn right for about a mile to find the nearest seam," chuckles Dave Harvey, creator of the 'typical Forest freemine' which he has dug into a quarry face at the Heritage Centre at Soudley.

Called 'Harvey's Folly' - just about right for a mine with no coal - Dave has crafted the project to give visitors a feel of what life was like underground.

The mine passed its first test with flying colours last Saturday when it was visited by the Mines Inspector, Mr Tony Forster who checked it out for safety.

"It's as near as I could get to the real thing but without the coal," said Dave.

The Heritage Centre opens for business this weekend after phase one of a complete revamp.