The plight of disappearing former mining communities has been highlighted by youngsters who met the prime minister.

Schoolchildren from Wearside and South Yorkshire told Tony Blair about a charitable trust which is trying to regenerate their areas.

Mr Blair endorsed the work of the Coalfields Regeneration Trust at the Downing Street reception held for pupils from Hetton School in Sunderland and Priory School and Sports College in Barnsley.

A Mori poll published on Wednesday and commissioned by the trust showed young people from mining towns questioned had serious concerns about their futures.

Pupils from Barnsley meet the Prime Minister

Researchers discovered that 44% of those questioned from 16 schools around the country wanted to move to a different area and fewer than 1% mentioned good jobs or employment opportunities were something they liked about their home town.

Almost half of the students agreed with suggestions that people in other parts of the country have more opportunities.

Paul Gauntlett, the trust's director of communications and fundraising, said: "A lot of mines closed in the 1980s and 90s and many peoples' view is that mining is now in the past but its effects are very much in the here and now.

"The grandchildren of mineworkers are feeling those effects now."