MINING: Livelihoods are at stake

My husband still works in the industry, while both my dad and his put food on their families’ tables by working at local mines.

I was, therefore, disgusted to read about my local MP trying to stop the Highthorn mine going ahead after it had been approved by the county council, rather than working to help secure much-needed jobs for dozens of local people, as she has done when local factories or businesses have been threatened in the past.

As far as I can see, most of the people who are against Highthorn aren’t from our area and probably haven’t even been here. They have no idea of just how important mining has been, and still is, to this community.

Lots of local families still depend on it for their livelihoods, and having lost so many industrial jobs over the years, I don’t think we can afford to lose what remains of our mining industry.

The mine would mean a lot of new investment into our community over many years, while the local nature reserves that are so highly valued by everyone wouldn’t even exist without past surface mining.

For the sake of the livelihoods of dozens of local families, I hope Mrs Trevelyan fails in her campaign against the Highthorn mine and that work can start as soon as possible.

Gillian French,

Beachcroft,

Hadston