THE country's only potash mine opened its doors on Saturday to give visitors an insight into what goes on underground.

The Cleveland Potash Mine at Boulby, on the East Cleveland border with North Yorkshire, is one of the deepest mines in the country.

One of the area's biggest employers, it has a workforce of 850 drawn from East Cleveland and the Whitby area.

Two years ago, it hosted a similar event which attracted between 3,000 and 4,000 people.

On offer were guided bus tours with a stop-off to see a realistic simulation of what conditions are like underground, how the potash ore is mined and then transported to the surface.

Visitors were also told of the mine's history and the important role it plays in the local economy.

Each department involved in the mining process gave a demonstration of their work. These included underground machinery, geology, safety, first aid, plus environment and surface operations.

Other organisations taking part in the day's events included the North Yorkshire Moors National Park, lifeboat, coastguard, local scouts and the Tom Leonard Mining Museum at Skinningrove.

Chris Gibson, the mine's personnel manager, said the day had gone well and was great fun.