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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
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| Coal mine closes with celebration | Coal mine closes with celebration |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Miners at Wales' last deep mine are marking its closure with a celebratory march, similar to the parade staged when they bought the pit 13 years ago. | Miners at Wales' last deep mine are marking its closure with a celebratory march, similar to the parade staged when they bought the pit 13 years ago. |
| Tower Colliery in Hirwaun, Rhondda Cynon Taf, was taken on by 239 staff, each pooling £8,000 redundancy to buy it after it closed in 1994. | Tower Colliery in Hirwaun, Rhondda Cynon Taf, was taken on by 239 staff, each pooling £8,000 redundancy to buy it after it closed in 1994. |
| The pit reopened in January 1995 but the coal has effectively run out. | The pit reopened in January 1995 but the coal has effectively run out. |
| There are hopes the site will be redeveloped, while 120 workers are expected to move to local drift mines. | There are hopes the site will be redeveloped, while 120 workers are expected to move to local drift mines. |
| Tower had reopened in defiance of the large-scale pit closure programme ordered by the Thatcher government following the year-long miners' strike of 1984-5 - a strike in opposition to colliery shutdowns. | Tower had reopened in defiance of the large-scale pit closure programme ordered by the Thatcher government following the year-long miners' strike of 1984-5 - a strike in opposition to colliery shutdowns. |
| With feelings still running high amongst many who lived through that time, miners and their families started Friday's parade at 1100 GMT, walking from the pit which disproved claims it was too expensive to run. | |
| The official closure comes a week after the last coal was mined. | The official closure comes a week after the last coal was mined. |
| We'll raise the banner and tip it towards the pit as a salute for the life it's given us Tyrone O'Sullivan | We'll raise the banner and tip it towards the pit as a salute for the life it's given us Tyrone O'Sullivan |
| But the day is one of celebration, not mourning, according to its chairman Tyrone O'Sullivan, who led the buyout of Tower. | |
| "When there was the miners' strike, and all the rapid pit closures, there tended to be something resembling a wake afterwards," said the 62-year-old grandfather-of-three, who started working at the mine 40 years ago after his own father died there. | "When there was the miners' strike, and all the rapid pit closures, there tended to be something resembling a wake afterwards," said the 62-year-old grandfather-of-three, who started working at the mine 40 years ago after his own father died there. |
| "In Tower's case, it's a celebration of the last 13 years. We marched to the pit when we got it back, so we're going to reverse it this time. | "In Tower's case, it's a celebration of the last 13 years. We marched to the pit when we got it back, so we're going to reverse it this time. |
| "We'll start from the shaft and go back up the road. Then we'll raise the banner and tip it towards the pit as a salute for the life it's given us." | "We'll start from the shaft and go back up the road. Then we'll raise the banner and tip it towards the pit as a salute for the life it's given us." |
| From the pit, the 270 workers will head to the Penywaun, the club where the decision to buy the pit was made, and raise their glasses as speeches are made. | From the pit, the 270 workers will head to the Penywaun, the club where the decision to buy the pit was made, and raise their glasses as speeches are made. |
| Creation of jobs | Creation of jobs |
| About 120 of the workers are expected to transfer to two newly-opened drift mines in the Neath Valley. | About 120 of the workers are expected to transfer to two newly-opened drift mines in the Neath Valley. |
| Seventy are expected to go to Aberpergwm mine within two months and the Unity mine will take a further 50 miners. | Seventy are expected to go to Aberpergwm mine within two months and the Unity mine will take a further 50 miners. |
| Mr O'Sullivan said he was confident no-one who wanted to continue working would be left out of a job. | Mr O'Sullivan said he was confident no-one who wanted to continue working would be left out of a job. |
| Meanwhile, each miner who donated his redundancy payout towards the deposit needed to buy it, are now to have their say on the future of the site. | Meanwhile, each miner who donated his redundancy payout towards the deposit needed to buy it, are now to have their say on the future of the site. |
| Plans for the future of the 480-acre site are still being discussed, but Mr O'Sullivan said a new development, with the creation of jobs and affordable homes, would be a fitting tribute. | Plans for the future of the 480-acre site are still being discussed, but Mr O'Sullivan said a new development, with the creation of jobs and affordable homes, would be a fitting tribute. |
| "We're hoping 1,000 jobs could be created, maybe in retail, leisure and housing. There could be lakes there, and places to walk," he said. | "We're hoping 1,000 jobs could be created, maybe in retail, leisure and housing. There could be lakes there, and places to walk," he said. |
| "I believe our company can leave a legacy to the community that will see today's toddlers able to find a job up in the valleys when they're 16 or 17, instead of having to leave the area. | "I believe our company can leave a legacy to the community that will see today's toddlers able to find a job up in the valleys when they're 16 or 17, instead of having to leave the area. |
| "It will be the greatest tribute that the workers could give. We'll be leaving jobs, not statues." | "It will be the greatest tribute that the workers could give. We'll be leaving jobs, not statues." |
| Deputy first minister Ieuan Wyn Jones said the colliery had been "an inspiration". | |
| He added: "It is an icon of Welsh resistance - the abiding history of a mining community which fought against all the odds and scored notable success." |