Coal strike delayed for talks

Coal production will continue for the time being

Plans for a coal miners' strike in central England have been delayed for 28 days.

The Union of Democratic Mineworkers (UDM) was due to stage its first walk-out at five pits, mainly in Nottinghamshire.

However the strike was called off after a meeting on Thursday between union leaders and pit owners UK Coal.

Further talks are to be held and the company is confident it can avoid any strike.

Strike breakers

The pits, which produce coal for power stations as well as domestic and other industrial use, employ around 2,000 miners, mostly members of the UDM.

The UDM was formed to "break" National Union of Mineworkers' strike of 1984.

The breakaway union now fears its own members may be made redundant by UK Coal.