POPULAR North-East actor Tim Healy last night gave his full backing to The Northern Echo's Justice For The Miners campaign.

Mr Healy, who sprang to fame in the 1980s comedy Auf Wiedersehen Pet, described the wait faced by dying miners and their families for compensation payments as "appalling".

He said: "I very much support what The Northern Echo is trying to do.

"I supported the miners during the 1980s and think it is appalling what they are going through now."

The actor from Tyneside, whose mum, Sadie, was a factory worker and his father, Timothy, a toolmaker, said: "My family all worked in heavy engineering which has suffered from many of the same problems as the mining industry.

"The Government did promise those miners who submitted compensation claims their money and something should be done to make sure it is paid."

Last night it was confirmed that representatives from the Department of Trade and Industry will attend a public meeting on the plight of the miners, organised by The Northern Echo and Easington District Council.

A representative of Durham North MP Giles Radice, David Wright, will also join those present, who will include Easington MP John Cummings, NUM chiefs and claimants' solicitors.

The meeting at Seaham Leisure Centre, on Monday, at 7pm, is intended to highlight the problems being faced by miners who have contracted lung diseases as a result of working down the pits.

It is also hoped that practical solutions to speed up the compensation process for thousands of miners and their families will come from the meeting.

Meanwhile, County Durham miner's daughter Pat Daglish has broken through the 3,000- mark with her petition aimed at putting further pressure on the Government.

She has also won an agreement from Derwentside District Council that copies of the petition can be placed in all of its cash offices.

Ms Daglish, whose father Thomas died before he received full payment of his compensation claim, is at Asda, in Stanley, all day on Wednesday and Friday with her petition.

The DTI has asked for patience as the compensation claims are dealt with. The department has admitted "naivety" in expecting to handle the 110,000-plus claims, only one of which has so far been fully processed, but has pointed out that this is the biggest case of its kind in legal history