More than 130 years old and previously used to load coal on to ships, Dunston Staiths, at Gateshead, had been due to open on Saturday for the first of a series of open days during spring and summer.

In coal mining communities, black lung has long been considered an “old man’s disease,” one to be almost expected after enough years underground. But his son was diagnosed much younger, at ...

Abandoned coal mines had left waterways acidic and rusty orange. Local residents are cleaning them up, and recovering valuable minerals in the process. Skip to content Skip to site index.