The miners made the North-East. Their contribution to the region's social and economic development was fundamental. The Great Northern Miners tells the story of the men and boys who toiled underground beneath the streets and fields of Northumberland and County Durham to win the coal and daily faced appalling hazards such as gas, flooding and roof falls. Beginning with the early pits of the 13th Century and ending with the closure of the North-East's last deep mine, Ellington, in 2005, it is a story of courage and unequalled comradeship, highlighting the grassroots of the region's people. Jean and Ken Smith interviewed many former miners and their families who generously contributed their memories.