THEY were hailed as the heroes of the South Wales Valleys, putting their lives on the line everyday to keep the thriving coal industry going.

Today we reveal how the thousands of Gwent miners and their families have finally received justice for their sacrifice by receiving more than £88m in compensation for chest diseases.

The Argus has campaigned long and hard to ensure their suffering did not go unnoticed, demanding payback for those who developed chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) from working in pits across Wales and whose compensation claims were held up by red-tape and government delays.

GWENT miners received more than £88 million in compensation for chest diseases caused by coal dust, following an Argus campaign for justice.

UK government statistics from the Department of Energy and Climate Change show that a total of 20,240 claims were made in Gwent, with £37 million paid out in the Islwyn area alone.

The news comes after a solicitors group that was assisting claims was wound up, with almost all compensation cases completed.

The Argus launched a campaign in 1999 for justice for those miners who developed chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) from working in pits across Wales and whose compensation claims were held up by red-tape and government delays.

The largest payout in Gwent was £270,000 to a man who was forced to give up work in his 40s - losing out on 20 years of earnings - according to Bleddyn Hancock, general secretary of miners union NACODS.

He said that NACODS members that claimed received on average between £15-16,000, although in more recent years the size of claims had dropped to around £500 to £1500.

Mr Hancock, who fought for decades for miners compensation, said the winding up of the Claimants' Solicitors Group means that most claims have come to an end, with only a few claims against private mining firms left.

The group gave legal assistance to those making claims, he said.

“It made a huge difference to people’s lives,” said Mr Hancock, telling the story of a wife of a miner had told him that the cash meant that her husband could live in dignity.

In her case, the money allowed the couple to buy a special bed so he could sleep downstairs and could stay at their home without having to go to hospital.

Many also said they felt vindicated - with compensation proving that their chest diseases were caused by the conditions they had to work in.

“They felt that justice had been done,” said Mr Hancock.

“The Argus campaigned for the miners through the difficult times. We were very grateful for the support.”

Area Number of claims Damages paid Blaenau Gwent 7,741 £36,128,553.99 Islwyn 7,944 £37,241,190.74 Monmouth 730 £2,192,583.84 Newport 623 £1,627,783.71 Torfaen 3,202 £11,668,916.86 Gwent Total 20,240 £88,859,029.14