The deadline for claiming compensation from the government for mining related disease closes in just two weeks.

Former miner John Phelan, from Aylesham in Kent is urging ex-colleagues and other former colliery employees to make a claim for compensation before it’s too late.

Mr Phelan who is now 78 and suffers from the respiratory disease emphysema, worked at Snowdon colliery for over 43 years, starting in 1940 aged just 14. He has only just received compensation after a long legal battle which lasted 17 years.

Mr Phelan who is disabled, wants to warn others like him that time is running out to lodge claims for compensation for respiratory disease, as the cut off date is 31 March 2004. Many thousands of men who are entitled to compensation still have not made a claim.

So far the government has paid out over £1 billion to more than 100,000 men for respiratory diseases inflicted by working in the mines.