Video: Poignant reminders of mining at Kellingley Colliery

Former miner Ian Cunniff, who used to work at Kellingley Colliery for 11 years holds up one of the last pieces of coal to be brought to the surface.

The closure of Kellingley Colliery brought about the end of an industrial era and centuries of deep coal mining.

Known locally as Big K, the North Yorkshire mine, shut in December 2015 and yesterday a poignant reminder of the last deep coal mine in the country was received by The National Coal Mining Museum for England, near Wakefield.

The museum has already accepted a memorial plaque from the colliery, now on public display, and a commemorative headboard from the last train to leave Kellingley on Christmas Eve 2015, was donated by DB Schenker Rail UK yesterday.

Jonathan Lawton, driver of the last train, presented the headboard. He is the nephew of the late Victor Lawton, who drove the very first train service from Kellingley in 1972.