Orgreave inquiry gala appeal for miners' evidence

News imageMolly Smith / BBC Bob is sitting on a grey sofa and smiling. He is wearing a green top and has sandy grey speckled hair. Molly Smith / BBC
Bob Heron travelled to Orgreave coking plant to picket with colleagues from Eppleton Colliery in 1984

Officials carrying out an inquiry into a violent clash during the 1984 Miners' Strike want to hear from more witnesses.

It has been 42 years since the so-called Battle of Orgreave, during which there were violent clashes between police and miners outside the coking plant in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, on 18 June.

Hundreds of individuals and organisations have come forward and the inquiry team, which will have a stall at the Durham Miners' Gala on Saturday, hopes more will come forward to give evidence.

Former miner Bob Heron of Eppleton Colliery near Hetton-le-Hole, in County Durham, was bitten by a police dog during the clash and said it was "frightening".

He said it was important miners who had not yet given their accounts come forward.

The protest involved between 8,000 and 10,000 miners converging on the plant to try to disrupt deliveries, but they were met with force by thousands of police officers.

A total of 95 men, who had been picketing at the plant, were arrested and faced trial on riot and unlawful assembly charges.

Heron had to have hospital treatment for injuries to his leg after being bitten by a dog and was able to get a doctor's letter to confirm this. which he has given to the inquiry.

He said: "I rang my local surgery and asked if they had a copy of the letter, which they did on my medical records.

"Without it I wouldn't have evidence that I was bitten by a police dog. If I didn't have the injury, I wouldn't have had proof that I was down there."

News imageMolly Smith / BBC Alan is sitting on a brown bench which is dedicated to someone's memory but that plaque is not legible. He is wearing a blue football top, his arm is outstretched along the top of the bench. He has grey hair, glasses and is smiling slightly. Molly Smith / BBC
Alan Mardghum was a miner at Wearmouth Colliery from 1977 until its closure in 1993

Alan Mardghum, secretary of the Durham Miners' Association said that evidence "big or small" was vital to the inquiry.

He said: "Any witnesses who were there on the day or have documentation, get that submitted on Saturday at the Orgreave tent.

"We have been shouting for this for 42 years for an inquiry on what happened on June 18.

"This is our chance, our one and only chance to put the case together."

The Bishop of Sheffield the Rt Rev Dr Pete Wilcox, who is chairing the review, will be at the gala with panel members.

He said: "We continue to encourage any individual or organisation, involved in or impacted by the events at Orgreave, or the aftermath, to come forward."

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