THOUSANDS of workers were yesterday bracing themselves for confirmation that Britain's biggest mining complex is shutting down.

UK Coal is expected to announce the closure of its Selby complex and the possible loss of as many as 5,000 jobs today.

Up to 2,000 staff work at three pits in the North Yorkshire complex at Riccall, Stillingfleet and Wistow.

But the closure is likely to have a devastating knock-on effect which could lead to a further 3,000 job losses in related industries.

The Selby complex is not expected to close for another 18 months, giving time for regeneration measures to be explored.

A spokesman for UK Coal said it was not as yet clear when a decision would be made but it is understood to be imminent.

The Doncaster firm has based its decision on reports by two experts, by independent consultants IMC and the Department of Trade and Industry, and both believe reserves at Selby cannot be extracted economically.

Selby has lost £93m over the past three years. The UK Coal spokesman said: "That's a fact we have to face up to."

Last year the three pits in the complex incurred a combined loss of £35m.

The number of deep mine pits has fallen from 170 to just 16, of which 13 are owned by UK Coal, including a pit at Ellington, Northumberland.

Yet millions of tonnes of coal remain at the complex, it was claimed by the National Union of Mineworkers.

The chairman of Selby chamber of commerce, Geoff Gordon, said: "There's no getting away from the fact it will have a huge impact. It is a massive blow. Somebody has got to act fast. Finance has got to be put into the area to make sure we can generate alternative employment. This has to be done quickly before skilled workers leave the area."

Only about 40 per cent of the workforce live locally - with many miners travelling miles to work from former coalfield areas, having been redeployed following earlier closures.

Last month, Selby MP John Grogan deliberately leaked a report which said the closure could cost £400m.

North Yorkshire County Council has backed plans to set up a joint task force to open up new opportunities for workers in the event of pit closures.