MINERS and a Women Against Pit Closures lobby group joined forces today to protest about the "premature" closure of the Selby coalfield.

Banner-waving miners' wives and daughters from across Yorkshire turned up at Riccall Mine today to voice their anger and disgust at the early demise of the world's largest deep-mine complex.

The final piece of coal came up the shaft today at Riccall, the last remaining pit at the £1.4 billion Selby complex, which opened in 1983.

Miner's daughter Bridget Bell is national secretary of Women Against Pit Closures, which was formed during the 1984/85 miners' strike.

She said: "We shall never stop protesting against pit closures. The case for coal is as strong today as it was 20 years ago.

"We don't want to see any pit closed quietly and we were only too happy to accept the National Union of Mineworkers' (NUM's) invitation to join their protest today at Riccall."

Owner UK Coal was planning the traditional photograph for the Press of miners posing in the pit yard with the last piece of coal.

But angry union leaders at Riccall refused to co-operate, claiming the pit still had ten years of coal reserves.

UK Coal responded by calling off the photo call.

The NUM's branch treasurer at Riccall, Dave Tonks, said: "There's a shortage of coal on the open market and yet there's 20 million tonnes of coal left here. It stinks."

Only four years ago, miners at Riccall tunnelled their way into a new coal seam called the Stanley Main. It was described then as a £300 million coal bonanza that would increase the pit's lifespan by seven years.

Mr Tonks, 55, of Myrtle Avenue, Selby, said: "UK Coal and the Government will live to regret closing the Selby complex.

"We are not prepared to take part in a staged photograph for the press to celebrate what UK Coal call a celebration of the life of the Selby complex. To us it's more like a funeral."

Company spokesman Stuart Oliver said today: "We have never denied there is coal left at Riccall.

"But it is impossible to sustain production at one pit when Gascoigne Wood, where the coal is washed and despatched, costs £20 million a year to run. It just isn't viable. Today's photo call for the Press was not meant as a celebration, simply an acknowledgement of the contribution that Selby miners have made to meeting Britain's energy needs."

Updated: 15:48 Tuesday, October 26, 2004