Twenty-six years ago thousands of pitmen went on strike the length and breadth of the country – fighting for their jobs and their communities. They were branded the Enemy Within by the then prime minister, Margaret Thatcher. Now their pits are gone – but their communities struggle on. A new book, No Redemption The 1984-85 Miners’ Strike in the Durham Coalfield, celebrates the struggle in one of the county’s mining communities.

ABOOK placing the spotlight on the Miners’ Strike will be launched with a special reading of the words of those who lived through the troubled times.

No Redemption The 1984- 85 Miners’ Strike in the Durham Coalfield features the photographs of Keith Pattison and is written by David Peace – the writer behind The Damned United and the Red Riding series.

The book, published by Flambard Press, will be unveiled at Easington Social Welfare Centre, Seaside Lane South Back, Easington Colliery, at 7.30pm on Saturday, July 3.

There will be a performed reading of the words of those who were caught up in the strike and music by Frankie and the Heartstrings.

Mr Pattison was commissioned in August 1984, by Sunderland’s Artists’ Agency, to photograph the strike in Easington Colliery for one month. He stayed there on and off for eight months, until the strike ended in March 1985, working to record events from the miners’ point of view.

Mr Pattison framed a Twenty-six years ago thousands of pitmen went on strike the length and breadth of the country – fighting for their jobs and their communities. They were branded the Enemy Within by the then prime minister, Margaret Thatcher. Now their pits are gone – but their communities struggle on. A new book, No Redemption The 1984-85 Miners’ Strike in the Durham Coalfield, celebrates the struggle in one of the county’s mining communities narrative sequence of images from the optimism of August, through the deepening pessimism of winter, right to the final vote to return to work.

He said he had initially intended compiling photographs in a book with run of about 20 for friends, but realised there would be a wider interest.

Mr Peace saw the photographs earlier this year became involved as the project grew.

He went to Easington Colliery with Mr Pattison on election day, May 6, to interview three of the people caught up in the strike – Alan Cummings, and Marilyn and Jimmy Johnson.

Mr Peace’s words are their memories of the strike and how it affected and continues to affect their community.

Mr Pattison said: “It has been an exciting few months (producing the book). I never thought we would get where we have got today.

“During the time of the Miners’ Strike I was living there and was very much swept up in their highs and lows – there were lots of dashed hopes.

“It was a turning point, being caught up with what happened.

“And it was a defining moment in their lives. It is a great thrill being able to take something back to them.”

Tickets for the reading are £3 and are available at the Easington Welfare Centre on 0191-527-0635.

The book is £20 and will be available at the launch and from flambardpress.co.uk from July 1, as well as at the Miner’s Gala, in Durham City, on July 10.