A SEA coaler plies his ancient back braking trade of raking and shovelling coal washed up by the sea to sell on to power stations.
Sea coaling dates as far back as the 7th century but could soon become a thing of the past with the UK now more reliant on gas and renewable energy.
A fortnight ago Britain went for an entire day without coal power, its first since the industrial revolution.
However, this sea coaler at Seaton Carew near Hartlepool is still able to scrape a living by sweeping up the fine coal deposits washed ashore by rough seas.
The sea erodes the open coal seam on the seabed of the North Sea off the North East coast of England, and then washes the deposits onto the shore.
Sea coalers are able to harvest up to a tonne of coal every day.
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