FORMER coke oven workers are celebrating after a High Court date was set for group litigation involving more than 350 coal men suffering illnesses caused by their work.

The British Coal workers’ application for group litigation is due to be heard on July 28.

Law firms Irwin Mitchell and Hugh James are applying for the order to begin a group action claim against British Coal, Coal Products Limited and National Smokeless Fuels Limited after hundreds of workers suffered illness following exposure to dust and fumes at several coking plants around the country, including the North-East and Yorkshire.

It is alleged that British Coal and its subsidiaries, Coal Products and National Smokeless Fuels failed to identify the risks associated with the work and as a result, did not put protective measures in place to prevent workers’ exposure to the harmful dust and fumes when working around, or on, the coking ovens.

Thomas Hocking worked at the Fishburn plant for 11 years and said he was “over the moon” at the news.

The 74-year-old, who suffers from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, said: “I’m over the moon because there’s a lot of people who did suffer and are no longer here to tell the tale.”

He added: “There was all sorts flying in the air coming off the oven and although it was a good job it was a hazardous job – I lived in front of the plant for 24 years and the dust on the windows you could scrape off with a knife.”

Another retired worker at the plant, John Parkin, said: “It was just normal to work in those conditions because it was just one of those things and because I lived in the village we were in that environment all the time.”

The 66-year-old, who worked as a labourer in the plant for 13 years, said he had the bottom half of his lung removed eight years ago after doctors diagnosed him with lung cancer and now has the all-clear but had to give up work as a driving instructor.

Kathryn Singh, Partner and expert in industrial illness claims at Hugh James, said: “The group litigation order hearing will be an important step in helping former British Coal employees and their families to secure justice for the ill health they suffered as a result of working at these plants.

“These illnesses have been caused by the negligence of employers in failing to provide safe working conditions, for which many people in South Wales are now paying the price.”