ONE of Leeholme's oldest residents celebrates his 101st birthday today.
Tom Brown puts his longevity down to hard work after working in pits from leaving school until his retirement.
Born in Thornley, east Durham, Mr Brown grew up in several communities including Coundon and Leasingthorne.
He started working down the Leasingthorne pit aged 14 in 1919, following in the footsteps of his father. He worked there until he retired 46 years later.
His wife, Ellen, died 26 years ago, and he manages his home with the help of great-nieces Jane Bateman and Ann Hardy.
He said: "I don't know how I have done it, except that I have never smoked and worked hard all my life. I went down the pit from an early age and you couldn't breathe for the dust, but I am still here."
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