Emotional farewell to Rotherham's last pit

THE closure of Rotherham’s last pit after more than 100 years was marked with an emotional march on Saturday.

Workers at Maltby Colliery downed tools for the final time last week after owners Hargreaves declared the pit unsafe amid fears of the risks caused by underground gas.

More than 200 people joined a procession made up of current and former miners and their families as the Maltby Miners' Welfare Band led a parade to the town.

They held a ceremony including the burying of a piece of coal from the pit and honouring the 27 miners who died in an explosion underground in 1923.

See Friday's Advertiser for more pictures from the march.