A STRIKING miner will take part in a question and answer session after the screening of a new film about the bitter 1984 dispute.

Norman Strike, now 63 and retired, worked the coal face at Westoe Colliery in South Shields, and took to the picket lines with his workmates over the Conservative government’s plans to close down pits.

Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher famously described striking miners as “the enemy within”.

A new, partly crowd-funded film, Still the Enemy Within, records the memories of the people who took part in the strike.

He is returning to the region from his home in Essex for the film’s screening at The Gala Theatre, Durham City, on Saturday (October 11).

Mr Strike was arrested four times for picketing and was once held on remand in Durham Prison for four days and was at the infamous 'Battle of Orgreave'.

He once appeared on an edition of Channel 4’s acclaimed 1980s pop music show The Tube, which was made in Newcastle.

He was invited on stage by a band called The Redskins to give a speech during one of the songs but viewers could not hear what he said because the microphone was switched off.

“It was portrayed that we were the violent ones, but I was there and we weren’t the violent ones.

“Before the strike miners were the salt of the earth but all of a sudden we turned from being respected to thugs, hooligans, the enemies within, enemies of the state.

“They said we were trying to overthrow society but that was rubbish. We weren’t. We just wanted to keep our jobs.”

Mr Strike left the region for London after the strike, which cost him his marriage, went to university and became a secondary school English teacher.

He said of the film: “I think it is brilliant, they have done a really good job.”

The film, which won the Sheffield Doc/Fest Audience Award 2014, had its London premiere last weekend and is now showing throughout the country.

The Durham screening starts at 1.45pm and tickets cost £5 from the box office on 03000 266600 and at www.galadurham.co.uk

* On Wednesday, October 22, the film will be screened at the Tyneside Cinema, Newcastle at 6pm.

For details visit www.tynesidecinema.co.uk