North-east may lose last working colliery

THE LAST working pit in the North-east of England is set to close with 1,100 job losses after British Coal said it was losing up to pounds 1m a month, writes Michael Harrison.

Union leaders were told yesterday that the future of Ellington colliery, near Morpeth, Northumberland, would be reviewed at a reconvened meeting - which usually signals a closure.

British Coal said the review was necessary because geological and other problems were having a severe impact on the colliery. Weekly planned output was down from 50,000 to less than 30,000 tonnes.

Ellington had been considered a 'safe' pit and was not on the company's original closure list of 31 pits published 15 months ago.

On Wednesday British Coal announced the proposed closure of Goldthorpe colliery near Doncaster - another 'safe' pit.

Meanwhile, the future of Annesley and Ollerton collieries in Nottinghamshire were also put in doubt after British Coal announced they too were to be considered at reconvened review meetings.

Robin Cook, the shadow trade and industry secretary, said the announcement on Ellington was a watershed for the coal industry since it took the number of pits closed or threatened with closure above Michael Heseltine's target.

'The pits that are fingered for closure today . . . were among the core pits supposed to stay open. They are all viable pits, producing coal at a price competitive with imports.'