London - Coal production is to cease at the last remaining deep mine in the north-east of England, RJB Mining said yesterday.
RJB Mining said it was putting the 90-year-old Ellington colliery, near Morpeth, Northumberland, up for sale in a bid to preserve production. It said alternative jobs would be offered to some of the 400 miners at other RJB pits in the Selby coalfield in Yorkshire.
The firm confirmed it was to cease production early next year at Ellington, although work on developing new seams will stop immediately with the loss of 100 jobs.