ENERGY Minister Peter Hain yesterday signalled a new bid to end the "intolerable wait" faced by thousands of North-East pitmen for compensation cash.

Announcing a £68m compensation package for miners and their widows over the next six months, Mr Hain revealed plans to end the shortage of qualified chest consultants in the region.

The Government is writing to every consultant available to urge them to join the compensation scheme, and will transport them if necessary to the North-East from other parts of the country.

Mr Hain said hundreds of cases were to be prioritised, with the oldest and sickest claimants due to receive letters next month.

They will be told that appointments for medicals are being brought forward, replacing younger, fitter men in the queue for cash.

He also revealed that widows of former pitmen would be given £2,000 as an interim payment before their husband's claim is assessed.

Mr Hain, speaking at a public meeting in Murton, County Durham, said: "We owe a duty to mining communities like this as the country was built on their sweat and toil.

"Miners have suffered crippling injuries over decades and there have been too many delays and mistakes in this scheme, including by the Government."

He added later that The Northern Echo deserved praise for its Justice For The Miners campaign, which has highlighted the plight.

David Guy, president of the County Durham NUM, said that 7,000 of its members had died from lung disease since liabilities for injuries caused by coal dust were taken on by the Government more than three years ago.

He said the North-East was still being "short changed", with fewer medical assessments taking place compared with the rest of the country.

The meeting heard from one former miner, John McGeary, from South Hetton, who said he had only one lung and had been examined by ten chest specialists in his bid to win compensation.

And one widow of a former pitman told how she had "spent her life savings" on making her husband comfortable before he died.

Anyone wishing to check the progress of a claim should call (0800) 028 2138.

Read more about Jutice for Miners here.