Ashington makes headlines in the French press

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Posted by The Journal on Mar 23, 09 09:53 AM in News

A former Northumberland coal mining stronghold is set to make headlines in the French Press - as its local council prepares to be abolished under town hall reorganisation.

Reporter Virginie Malingre, from leading Parisian newspaper Le Monde, spent two days in Wansbeck researching material for an article on how Ashington has moved on since the end of the 1984 miners' strike and the demise of the coal industry, and how the town is coping with the economic recession.

She interviewed district council leader John Devon about the town's early days development as a centre of mining, and how it once relied so heavily on the industry for its economic fortunes.

Virginie also spoke to Wansbeck MP Denis Murphy about his mining, trade union and local government background before he was elected to Parliament 10 years ago.

She visited Woodhorn to see how new life has been breathed into the old colliery as a major tourist and heritage attraction.

Virginie said: "It was interesting to learn about and see the developments that have taken place in Ashington in recent years, and how the town is creating a new future for itself following the loss of the mining industry.''

Her visit came less than three weeks before Wansbeck and the five other district and borough councils disappear to be replaced by the unitary, all-purpose Northumberland County Council.

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