Miners marched through Morpeth in protest at planned job cust

More than 200 workers at the 1,500-acre Stobswood opencast site near Morpeth, have been issued with redundancy notices.

The owner, UK Coal, says further redundancies may follow if working patterns have to change because of a long-running row over alleged noise nuisance from the site.

Coal extraction at the Stobswood site began in 1990 and is due to finish at the end of 2004.

Those who live nearby have consistently complained of noise, dust and nuisance with the excavations creeping ever closer to homes.

Residents have asked Northumberland County Council to stop drift mining between 1900 BST and 2300 BST.

But mine workers are now beginning their own campaign to save their jobs and will march on the County Hall in Morpeth.

Prosecution threat

They have collected signatures for a petition which they will present to councillors.

Northumberland County Council has issued a planning contravention notice against UK Coal - the first step towards launching formal enforcement proceedings which could lead to prosecution.

A UK Coal spokesman said: "The site is now at an advanced stage and within a couple of months there will not be enough work for all the 300 employees."

In November 2002 campaigners lost their fight against an extension to the mine.

More than 12.2 million tonnes of coal has been extracted from the site.

The mine is one of the largest in the Britain and is 200 metres deep in parts.