Aerial view of Tower Colliery at Hirwaun in Rhondda Cynon Taff which reopened in 1995

Colliers coming to the surface after their shift at the historic colliery on Thursday

Tower is closing after an extra 13 years of existence under a workers' buyout

Beer and tea - miners finish their last shift

Collier Paul Williams, 42 from Aberdare, who has worked for the colliery for 21 years but has worked his last shift

Baths block supervisor David James, 63, who has worked at Tower since 1989.

An almost deserted shower block on the colliery's last working day

One collier takes a final shower after coming to the surface at the end of his last shift

Another miner ends his working day with a well-earned shower

Tyrone O'Sullivan, the man who led the workers' buyout of Tower, and who also worked the final shift there

It is the end of an era for many of the Tower miners who have come to the surface for the final time. Photos: Dimitris Legakis/Dragon News and Pictures