THE community of Easington Colliery will today unite to mark the 70th anniversary of a pit disaster – one of the blackest days in County Durham’s mining history.

It was just before dawn on May 29,1951, that a pit explosion wiped out the lives of 81 men and boys from the village. Two rescue workers would also die during the harrowing retrieval of the bodies.

Former Durham Miner’s Association president and general secretary Alan Cummings said: “Seventy years ago Easington Colliery pit was the site of a terrible disaster that affected the whole of the community. It touched every household.

“Even today the events of the day are remembered by people - especially the families of those who lost their lives.

“I remember when I became Lodge Secretary for the Easington Miners Lodge Secretary the disaster was still raw in everyone’s minds. It was a memory we always treated with respect.

“It is important to commemorate the disaster. It is something that should never be forgotten. That was the real price of coal. These men went out to work on job underground - some as young as 17 – and never came back.

He added: “The reason why the former Yugoslavia flag is on the Easington Colliery banner is that when the funeral was held the country’s ambassador came up from London and laid a giant wreath on the mass grave.

“After that widows and their children were invited to go over to Yugoslavia.”

Today’s service, presided over by Reverend Lucy Moss will start at the Community Memorial Garden, on the site of the former colliery, at 11am. Residents are requested to be at the community park opposite the band hut at 10.45am.

Two commemorative benches, created by artist Graham Hopper will be unveiled by residents with a personal connection to the mines, before being dedicated.

The benches were funded from the budgets of Easington councillors Angela Surtees and David Boyes.

The Easington Colliery Band will then led lead a procession to the Miners’ Mass Grave site in Easington Colliery Cemetery, where a further service will be held.

Children, including some who are descendants of the victims, will read the names of those who died while flowers will be placed on the graves. The event will also be attended by Easington MP Grahame Morris.

The disaster unfolded at 4.20am on May 29, 1951, as a mechanical coal cutter was working in the Duck Bill district of the Five Quarter seam 900 feet below the surface, at what was then one of the most modern and productive mines in western Europe.

Sparks from the cutter as it struck pyrites ignited firedamp, causing a massive explosion which brought down 120 yards of roof. Entombed were 81 men.

The explosion couldn’t have happened at a worse time. It was between shifts. In the Duck Bill were the 43 men of the fore shift, about to take over from the 38 stone shift men coming to the end of their overnight stint.

As soon as the signal went out, rescue operations manned by off-duty Easington miners anxious to reach their friends and work mates, began.

Help also came from miners from neighbouring collieries in the Durham Coalfield.

As the first rescuers went underground, wives, mothers and loved ones of those trapped underground gathered to begin a pithead vigil. A vigil that for some was to last three days, and end in heartache for every one of them.

Of the 81 men in Duck Bill, only one was rescued. He died from his injuries in Ryhope Hospital a few hours after being stretchered out of the pit cage.

The Easington Colliery disaster was the second biggest in the history of the Durham coalfield. The explosion at West Stanley in 1909 claimed 168 lives.