World War II miners hold reunion

A lottery grant helped to pay for the reunion

More than 150 conscripted World War II miners got together in Warwickshire to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the end of the conflict.

The Bevin Boys enjoyed a dinner and memorial event in Stratford-upon-Avon over the weekend.

Often known as the "forgotten conscripts", nearly 50,000 men were drafted to work in the coalmines by the Minister of Labour, Ernest Bevin.

The lottery-funded Home Front scheme gave £20,000 towards the event.

Many Bevin Boys, young men aged between 18 and 25, faced hostility from the mining communities where they were billeted and were labelled cowards by people who thought they were draft dodgers.

In fact, they were working in highly difficult and dangerous conditions.