Wallsend Best! by Ronald Curran looks at many aspects of working life in the old North Tyneside mine, including disputes with management, the bonds between miners and even the role of animals in the industry.

The book was launched at a meeting of ex-miners with National Union of Miners (NUM) president Ian Lavery, to coincide with the 39th anniversary of Rising Sun Colliery's closure.

Speaking of the book's launch, Mr Curran told the News Guardian: "It went very well – we had about 70 ex-miners there.

"Mr Lavery was speaking about the situation as it is now, about the competition between coal and oil and gas.

"He said given a chance and greater government investment coal could be a greener fuel than oil or gas."

Mr Curran said that the response from ex-miners to his publication had been "tremendous".

"Those who have had a glimpse of it have said that it was incredible looking at the comradeship of the miners underground and how they came together again.

"They still have a very close bond 39 years later – it was a very homely meeting."