ORGANISERS of a community celebration of mining heritage are hoping several factors will help shape an electrifying event this weekend.

With England basking in a heatwave, potentially playing in its first World Cup final since 1966, the Tory party in turmoil over Brexit and Donald Trump’s visit, speakers at Durham Miners’ Gala will have a lot to talk about.

Around 200,000 people are expected to take the city’s historic streets, carrying banners from former pit communities and trade unions, as part of the annual celebration of socialism.

The 134th Big Meeting gets underway in the city centre from 8.30am on Saturday with brass bands creating a carnival atmosphere ahead of the speeches on Durham Racecourse from 1pm.

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, Frances O’Grady, Dennis Skinner, Emily Thornberry and Ian Lavery will be among those addressing the crowds before music from Miners’ Gala stalwart Billy Bragg, the left-wing songsmith who wrote A New England.

Alan Cummings, secretary of Durham Miners’ Association, said: “I am a huge football supporter and am keeping my fingers crossed that England do the business on Wednesday night.

“That would make the weekend even more special.

“We could have the hat-trick of a great day on Saturday, England in the World Cup final on Sunday and Theresa May resigning. What more could you ask for? That would be the perfect weekend.”

Visitors arriving in the city by train will be able to see a 40ft anti-Trump poster, which is being unfurled on the side of Durham Miners’ Association headquarters at Redhills in Durham.

It is being installed on Friday by the protest group, Together Against Trump, to coincide with the controversial US president’s arrival on British soil.

There is expected to be an anti-Trump March, but Mr Cummings is playing down the significance of American leader’s visit.

He said: “We are concentrating on our community day and his visit is incidental.

“There are going to have a banner up on the building at Redhills, but that is as far as we are going.

“We are not encouraging anything because the police resources are stretched to the limit as it is.”

Mr Cummings has advised people to be prepared for more hot weather, by bringing hats, sun cream and water.

He said: “We don’t want people to look like they have been Tango’d – like Donald Trump.”