Letter: Mining tip raised false hopes

AS A miner working in what remains of the Nottinghamshire coalfield, and a member of the Union of Democratic Mineworkers, I was interested to read 'Union tipped for choice pits' (Business, 2 October).

The article pictured the Coal Investments chairman Malcolm Edwards. The story stated that Central South of British Coal's sales package was expected to be awarded to the consortium of Malcolm Edwards and UDM. This news cheered me and my colleagues at Asfordby Mine, Melton Mowbray. As we all now know, Richard Budge is the preferred bidder for Central South - and nearly all the other deep mines in England.

James Hirst

Nottingham