Women who kept munitions factories going through two world wars will finally be honoured after a long-running campaign backed by a regional daily.

Sheffield’s ‘Women of Steel’ will be given medals honouring their contribution to the war effort on the same day a statue is unveiled in their honour in the city.

The city’s daily newspaper The Star raised almost £170,000 towards the project, and has now revealed the ceremony will be held on 17 June.

The medals will be handed out on the same day to surviving ‘Women Of Steel’, now in their 90s, and to families of those who have died.

It is envisaged around 500 will be given out and the search is now on to find all the women who worked in the city’s steel works, during both world wars.

The Star’s former assistant editor Paul License launched a campaign to get the women the recognition they deserved and the paper’s new editor Nancy Fielder also highlighted the cause in her reporting days, escorting a party of them to 10 Downing Street in 2010.

The target amount for the statue was reached in November 2014, as revealed on the above front page.

The Star’s digital editor Graham Walker said: “We are delighted to be in a position to do even more than a statue and to honour all our Women Of Steel with a medal, which they should have had a lifetime ago.

“And it’s all thanks to the incredible generosity of our readers, the people of Sheffield, South Yorkshire and beyond. June 17 is going to be a very special and emotional day for us all.”