Miners thank Bruce Springsteen for 1985 donation

Rock star Bruce Springsteen has been thanked for supporting striking miners 40 years on from the dispute.

The musician surprised two miners' wives with a $20,000 cheque at his gig in Newcastle in 1985.

Juliana Heron, now 76, who ran a miners' support group at Eppleton near Sunderland, said his donation made a "big difference" to families.

Springsteen did not seek publicity at the time and did not respond to the BBC's request for comment.

Mrs Heron and her friend Anne Suddick had been given free tickets for the gig at St James' Park but had no idea they would get to meet the star.

They were invited backstage at the interval where the musician gave them the cheque.

"He just said 'I truly support what the miners are doing for their communities, I want to present you with this cheque'," Mrs Heron said, adding: "We didn't even look how much.

"We go back to our seats and Anne opens the cheque and she says 'it's for $20,000', and I said 'how much is that?'."

Mrs Heron and her husband Bob, a former colliery worker, still have a replica of the cheque at their home on Wearside.

She praised Springsteen, saying: "He didn't have to do it, but he did it from the heart. He did it for the support of the miners' families.

"There was no publicity or anything, very low key. I don't think people realise how he helped the miners - and this made a big difference to Durham area and Northumberland."

Springsteen is due back in the North east of England in May when he performs at the Stadium of Light - built on the site of the former Monkwearmouth Colliery - as part of his world tour.