Petition for headstocks to be saved

Volunteers from the Clipstone Colliery Regeneration Group manned a stand at the Four Seasons Centre in Mansfield over two days, highlighting their campaign to keep the iconic landmark should the site be developed.

A spokesman said: “We were talking to people about our schemes and their ideas, and we had a lot of pictures from children about their ideas for the site.

“We had a lot of good responses and I think we helped to change people’s minds. Some people perhaps wanted the headstocks to come down but once they knew what we were hoping for, they gave us their support.”

The 200ft headstocks have been the source of much debate since the pit’s closure in 2003, with opinion divided on whether they should stay or go.

The most recent idea put forward for the site by not-for-profit community group Clipstone Colliery Regeneration Trust was a plan to see the site transformed into a mixed use commercial, entertainment and residential area

Among the groups proposals were a mile-long zip wire, a climbing centre, a start-up business area and self-build housing.

An ePetition has been set up to highlight the issue, and this can be found at http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/61497