Thousands pay tribute to tragic miners

More than 10,000 mourners attended a remembrance service in New Zealand yesterday for the 29 coal miners killed at the Pike River mine.

Two Scots, Malcolm Campbell, 25, from St Andrews, and Pete Rodger, 40, from Perth, were among those confirmed dead after a series of explosions at the mine. Tables featuring personal belongings of the men were laid out by their families at the emotional open-air service, held under a sunny sky in the town of Greymouth.

New Zealand prime minister John Key told mourners: "We hoped they'd emerge from the depths of the Earth, but they never came home."