Miners lose pit strike leader
PETER Heathfield, who was general secretary of the National Union of Mineworkers during the year-long miners' strike of 1984-85, died yesterday at the age of 81.
Mr Heathfield led the strike with NUM president Arthur Scargill, becoming a national figure as the bitter dispute over pit closures unfolded.
Paying tribute, Mr Scargill said: "The miners have lost an outstanding champion, a courageous fighter."
TUC general secretary Brendan Barber said: "Peter Heathfield was a thoroughly decent, principled trade unionist."