End of an era as last pit pony dies

The end of another chapter in the North-East's coalmining heritage was announced today with the death of the last surviving pit pony.

Sparky died at the age of 36 following a short illness at his retirement home in Wakefield, West Yorkshire.

The sad news was relayed by staff at the National Coal Mining Museum for England, where Sparky had been a resident for the last 18 years following his retirement from Ellington Colliery in Northumberland in 1988.



Day after day for more than 13 years, the tough little work horse had toiled underground at Ellington, moving materials and carrying out salvage work.

He worked with fellow pit pony Carl, who died last October aged 29. Keepers at the museum said at the time they felt Sparky would struggle without his mate.

The last pit ponies retired in 1994 bringing to an end a partnership between man and beast which had stretched back three centuries.

At the turn of last century more than 70,000 ponies were used in Britain's network of coal mines but at their final retirement there were fewer than 20 left still working.