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From The Times
January 25, 2008

After 13 years of defiance, pitmen march off as last coalmine runs dry

The men defied the odds and turned the mine in South Wales into a profitable venture

Miners at Tower Colliery shower after their last shift yesterday. The last deep coalmine in Wales is closing – 13 years after the pitmen bought it from their bosses – ending an industry that goes back more than 200 years.

The miners will visit the coalface for the last time today, then lead their families in a march away from the colliery.

The men defied the odds and turned the mine in South Wales into a profitable venture despite dire warnings from industry experts.

Tyrone O’Sullivan, 62, who led the buyout, said: “We were determined to succeed after British Coal gave us no hope. I remember them . . .telling me, ‘No one wants to buy your coal’. Instead, we backed ourselves to succeed, and for 13 years we have provided well-paid jobs for hundreds of miners.”

Nearly 240 miners invested their redundancy money to save the pit near the Valleys village of Hirwaun. It made a £2 million profit in its first year. Now it has been forced to close because its coal reserves have run out.

At its height the workers’ coop employed 400 men. Of the 260 miners working there, about a third will retire and more than 100 have new jobs.

Well done those miners. It goes to show that the tory government of the day were determined to throw miners out of work and destroy communities. That mine had thirteen more years of life!

L. Chamberlain, London, England (once was)

Have the reserves of coal within Tower really run out or, is the real reason behind the closure being, Tyrone O'Sullivan wants to retire.

The butchers boy, so called electrician secured his job whilst securing financial security for his retirement and now wants out. Where would he have found employment if made redundant back in the late eighties early nineties?

For those who were at the colliery including myself in previous years to the take over, not many had a good word for him.

I'm sure the truth will eventually come out.

Ken Donovan, Rhigos, Aberdare, UK

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