As part of our series of special reports in the week marking the 40th anniversary of the start of the 1984-85 Miners' Strike, Gavin Havery looks why Easington became a focal point for intense policing.

Violence erupted in the East Durham coalfield like a spark in firedamp after police succeeded in  their  determined efforts to break the strike by escorting a ‘scab’ back to work.

Relatively peaceful, albeit militant and well-organised, picketing ended in Easington on August 20, 1984, when Paul Wilkinson, who was from Bowburn, turned up for a shift.

A barricade was put up by pickets at the gates of the pit and a coach was turned back, which led to a tense stand-off for the following four days.

The Northern Echo: Alan Cummings, left, during the strike in 1984 Alan Cummings, left, during the strike in 1984 (Image: Contributor)Alan Cummings, the 36-year-old Easington Miners’ Lodge Secretary at the time, said: “They were trying to get him in. There was only two ways into Easington, from Easington Village or from Horden.

“I had a CB radio with the receiver in my house.

“As soon as we knew which way he was coming we had 500-600 pickets blocking the way so they could not get him in.

“The inspector was going nuts, he was pulling his hair out.”

Later that week Newcastle MP Piers Merchant had made a speech asking why they could not get Mr Wilkinson into work.

With pressure growing from the Conservative Government of the day, that was set to change.

On Friday, August 24, the 28-year-old became the first working miner in County Durham.

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Alan, a former faceworker who still lives near the pit site, said: “A committee man who had been a police cadet said there were hundreds and hundreds of police were being moved into the area.

“They had been billeted to where they keep the police horses, just outside of Durham.

“On the Friday morning, when all of my pickets went out to different places, the police put a road block on. No-one could get in or out.

“I knew something was up so I tried to get my lads back. They were coming back through the fields because the police would not let them through on the coaches.”

The Northern Echo: A striking miner sends a message to a work coach travelling through Easington A striking miner sends a message to a work coach travelling through Easington (Image: Keith Pattison)Alan visited the colliery offices and was told by senior officer Mr Wilkinson had returned to work.

He said: “I was told to go outside and tell my pickets to disperse ‘or else’.

“They were his last words.

“So I went outside and told them and I had hardly got the words out of my mouth when the lads went on the rampage.

“They smashed the manager’s cars up and smashed the offices up.

“They did about £250,000 worth of damage, which was unfortunate."

What followed was three days of rioting, which spread to neighbouring pit villages such as Murton.

It also led to intense policing in the village, which would remain the case until the strike ended in March 1985.

The Northern Echo: How the Northern Echo reported the trouble at the time How the Northern Echo reported the trouble at the time (Image: Northern Echo)

The Northern Echo: A car is overturned and set on fire in Murton A car is overturned and set on fire in Murton (Image: Contributor)

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The Northern Echo: Alan Cummings still lives near the pit site in Easington Alan Cummings still lives near the pit site in Easington (Image: Gavin Havery)Alan said: “Police took their time to get more officers in but when they did they were brutal.

“They were beating up lads with truncheons. I have been so frightened in my life.

“I never thought I would see the day there was riot police in a colliery. Police had a command centre in the colliery office. We were under siege.

“It was horrendous. It was pretty scary.”

The Northern Echo: Riot police march past the back of Alma Street. Years later tourists would visit this spot to see where Billy Elliott was filmed. Riot police march past the back of Alma Street. Years later tourists would visit this spot to see where Billy Elliott was filmed. (Image: Keith Pattison)