FORMER miners in Burnley got together for the sixth year running to recall their memories at an annual reunion.

The event was set up by the late Bob Wilson and is now held in his memory after he died two years ago.

The former Burnley collier pulled together coalminers from all over East Lancashire to meet at Burnley Miners Club, Plumbe Street, for an afternoon of reminiscing once a year, which started back in 1999.

As numbers dwindle each year, the men, most of whom are now in their late 70s and 80s, enjoy coming together to remember both the good and the bad times.

The miners worked at various pits including Huncoat, Bacup, Fir Trees and Bank Hall.

Eric Denton, 62, of Garden Street, Padiham, is the youngest former collier in the group and still has vivid memories of his days working down the area's coal pits.

He said: "It was an extremely dangerous job. We worked in close groups of up to 10 people and whether we liked each other or not we all looked out for one another.

"One of my friends actually died when he was just in his early 20s. That was a hard thing to have to deal with but it was all part of the job."

The miners were identified not by name but by number.

Tom Robinson, 74, of Stanley Road, Clitheroe, worked in several of the areas pits before Hapton Valley was the last one to close around 10 years ago.

He said: "I was number 391 and that number will always stick with me. That was my identity. We used to have ID checks and have to stick our numbers on the coal face when he had finished. If all the numbers weren't there at the end of the day, then it was usually the case that there had been an accident."

John Dean, 80, of Godby Street, Burnley, added: "It was the best job to have. We were all like a family. There were 35 pits all together in the area, we were moved about like tramps from one to another.

"You had to be fit as there were 550 steps to walk up and down which weren't small either. It was hard work."

Joe Bennett, 68, of Hawse Terrace, Burnley, said: "It was sink or swim and if you got into trouble you were sent down the pit in your first week. It was dangerous as many people were only 14 when they started working.

"It's really good to be able to see all the old faces and talk about the good old times. We hope to keep it going for as long as possible in memory of Bob."