Pitmen at the Bickershaw complex, near Leigh, have earned a million thanks from the bosses.
For the miners have wound a million tonnes of coal . . . the first since the Bickershaw-Parsonage and Golborne pits were officially merged in April.
The millionth tonne cane up the 700 meters deep Bickershaw shaft on Friday and, said complex manager Barry Chadwick: "This is the first time as a complex that we have produced a million tonnes, so it is something of a celebration for us.
We have a good set of falls(?) at the complex and some good coalfaces. Morale is high at the moment and this has been shown in out recent achievements. We are looking forward to the next million now!"
The Bickershaw pitmen have smashed a sting of production records in the current financial year.
The latest success, in November, saw overall productivity hit a new peak of 3.66 tonnes per man and five-day saleable output rise to a best ever 31,088 tonnes.
Work is progressing on a £2.5 million scheme to improve the coal winding facilities at Bickershaw.
New six tonne capacity skips are being installed in the No3 shaft as part of a plan to increase annual output to 1.5 million tonnes.
