FORMER miners turned out in force to hold their annual reunion in Grimethorpe yesterday - marking the 30th anniversary since the village colliery closed and wiped out thousands of jobs.
The popular pre-Christmas event, which was started by Jack Howell in 1993, was taken on by Johnny Wood following the former’s death.
The reunion saw scores of people - including Barnsley East MP Stephanie Peacock - pay their respects at the memorial outside St Luke’s Church to local lives lost.
Johnny told the Chronicle: “What Grimethorpe went through shouldn’t be forgotten about - that’s why we all come together, year after year, to remember.
“This year’s reunion was a particularly special one given the anniversary.”
