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Kellingley march marks end of British deep coal mining Kellingley march marks end of British deep coal mining
(about 3 hours later)
Three thousand people have marched to mark the closure of Kellingley Colliery in North Yorkshire, and with it the end of British deep coal mining.Three thousand people have marched to mark the closure of Kellingley Colliery in North Yorkshire, and with it the end of British deep coal mining.
BBC Look North's Danni Hewson said miners from former pits around the country had felt they had to attend.BBC Look North's Danni Hewson said miners from former pits around the country had felt they had to attend.
The march, organised by the GMB union, started at Knottingley town hall in West Yorkshire and finished with a rally at Kellingley Miners Welfare. The march started at Knottingley town hall in West Yorkshire and finished with a rally at Kellingley Miners Welfare.
Kellingley miners finished their final shifts at the pit on Friday. The miners finished their final shifts at the pit on Friday.
Owner UK Coal said it would oversee the rundown of the mine before the site was redeveloped. Pit owner UK Coal said it would oversee the rundown of the mine before the site was redeveloped.
The remaining miners at the 58-hectare site are to receive severance packages at 12 weeks of average pay.The remaining miners at the 58-hectare site are to receive severance packages at 12 weeks of average pay.
'The Big K''The Big K'
Production began at Kellingley, locally called "the Big K", in April 1965.Production began at Kellingley, locally called "the Big K", in April 1965.
It once employed 3,000 miners but its closure was announced in March, along with Thoresby in north Nottinghamshire, after the government refused further aid.It once employed 3,000 miners but its closure was announced in March, along with Thoresby in north Nottinghamshire, after the government refused further aid.
In April, the government loaned £10m to UK Coal for the managed closures. In a written statement to Parliament, Business Minister Michael Fallon said: "There is no value-for-money case for a level of investment that would keep the deep mines open beyond this managed wind-down period to autumn 2015."In April, the government loaned £10m to UK Coal for the managed closures. In a written statement to Parliament, Business Minister Michael Fallon said: "There is no value-for-money case for a level of investment that would keep the deep mines open beyond this managed wind-down period to autumn 2015."
GMB officer Phil Whitehurst said: "Now the final 450 miners, the last in a long line stretching back for generations, are having to search for new jobs before the shafts which lead down to 30 million tons of untouched coal are sealed with concrete." Kirsten Sinclair, whose partner worked at Kellingley, said: "It's really important that [the closure] was marked. Nothing had been arranged for them and we just felt that this couldn't happen, they couldn't just go.
Dave Douglass, of the National Union of Mineworkers, said: "It's very, very important that children and young people from the coal communities take part [in the demonstration] because this was their future. "The guys needed some love and affection shown to them for everything that they do."
"All them young lads in North Yorkshire, South Yorkshire and West Yorkshire who had long, well-paid futures in the coal industry have had that ripped away from them and absolutely nothing put in its place." Phil Whitehurst, of the GMB union, said: "Now the final 450 miners, the last in a long line stretching back for generations, are having to search for new jobs before the shafts which lead down to 30 million tons of untouched coal are sealed with concrete."
Pam Ross, of GMB, said it was "a very sad time". Dave Douglass of the NUM, said: "All them young lads in North , South and West Yorkshire who had long, well-paid futures in the coal industry have had that ripped away from them and absolutely nothing put in its place."
"We will lose skills, traditions and culture associated with coal mining, and obviously suffer the social deprivation from communities losing their source of employment," she said.