But whatever comes after working in a coal mine, be it retraining or retirement, it likely won't compare to working thousands of feet below the earth. An icon in the shape of an angle pointing down.

It was dirty and dangerous, but coal mining also cultivated pride ... His books include The Jay, The Beech And The Limpetshell (Icon Books, 2023) and he tweets on X as @RSmythFreelance.

Holding onto the rails of a cage, we descend lower and lower into the coal mine. It is pitch dark, hot and humid. Every now and then a spray of water drizzles on us. The two-minute ride down seems ...