Miners' strike at 40: What were the key dates for the North East?

ITV Tyne Tees presenter Amy Lea looks back at how the miners' strike unfolded from the Marches of 1984-1985

It has been 40 years since Britain's mineworkers downed tools - bringing one of the country's biggest industries to a halt.

The miners' strike of 1984 saw most of the nation's 200,000 miners walk out in what would become one year of action.

At its peak, every one of the near 23,000 miners from the coalfields of Northumberland and County Durham were out on strike.

That year brought misery and pain to the miners, their families and their communities - and at times violent clashes between workers and police.

Despite this, 12 months of action shone a light on the spirit and solidarity of the communities affected.

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Here we take a look at the key moments of the strike from beginning to end.

In brief: What happened and when?

5 March 1984 - Unofficial strike action began when miners in Cortonwood, South Yorkshire, voted to walk out over a decision to close their pit.

6 March 1984 - The National Coal Board announced its plan to close 20 collieries, which would have resulted in the loss of 20,00 jobs.

12 March 1984 - The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM), declare a national strike - although no national vote was held.

Easington, in County Durham, was the first pit in the Durham coalfield to join the strike. Others followed suit in Durham and in Northumberland.

April to June 1984 - Violence flared on picket lines, erupting at the battle of Orgreave, in Rotherham, on 18 June. Hundreds of riot police brutally clashed with miners, some from the North East.

July 1984 - Margaret Thatcher described the miners as "the enemy within".

August 1984 - One miner crosses the picket line in Easington. For weeks it becomes a village under siege.

September 1984 - The strike was ruled illegal in September 1984, as no national ballot of the NUM had been held.

September 1984 to February 1985 - Winter sets in. More men cross the picket lines, causing bitter division.

3 March 1985 - The strike ends as miners vote to return to work.

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