About 400 people are employed at Ellington

The colliery's owner, UK Coal, could be facing the threat of industrial action after announcing the losses at Ellington colliery and plans to introduce seven day working at Kellingley colliery in Yorkshire.

The company also announced on Tuesday that the Selby complex in North Yorkshire will close next June - three months later than planned.

UK Coal said almost 240 jobs will be created at Kellingley through the introduction of flexible shift working next year.

The jobs are expected to be offered to miners currently working at Selby.

Closure threat

But the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) said it was "appalled" at the announcement, which came less than two weeks after UK Coal was given �36m in government aid to help develop its pits.

Chairman Ian Lavery said UK Coal's decision to make 70 redundancies at Ellington was "disgraceful" and a prelude to its closure.

He said he believed the company wants to close the mine when all its supply contracts expire in September 2004.

UK Coal said it was seeking around 70 volunteers for redundancy at the pit, which employs 400 mineworkers.

Mr Lavery also described the decision to introduce seven-day working at Kellingley as taking the industry back to the "dark ages".

He said: "We will be meeting local officials next week to discuss the best way of standing firm and resisting the imposition of this, which will include the possibility of industrial action."