Sapper William Hackett was posthumously awarded the VC - the British Army's highest decoration for valour - for giving his life to help an injured comrade on the battlefields of the Western Front in 1916.

The former coal miner is still buried below what was 'No Man's Land' and now, some 90 years later, plans have been revealed to build a memorial at the spot where he died in Northern France.

Respected historian Peter Barton, who has written books and made films about WW1, has launched a campaign to raise funds for the memorial.

Mr Barton, secretary of the All Party Parliamentary War Graves and Battlefields Heritage Group, said: "I am just amazed by Sapper Hackett's story, his was an act of extraordinary self sacrifice.

"He was a tunneller and is the only one to receive the VC.

There is currently no memorial specifically for tunnelling companies which is why we are campaigning for one to be built.

"We have got permission to build from the authorities over in France and we are looking at raising around £25,000 for the memorial.

"Through many kind donations we have already got about a third of that and we hope to be able to build it by the end of next year or 2010."

Historical records show that William Hackett, a former miner at Denaby Main pit, was originally rejected three times by the York and Lancaster Regiment for being over-age at 42.

But he finally managed to join the war effort when he enlisted in the Royal Engineers tunnelling companies in 1915.