DEVELOPERS behind plans for a green power plant on the site of an old pit met politicians and officials to discuss their ideas. The developers, who want to keep their identity secret at this stage, travelled to the redundant Bates Pit, in Blyth, Northumberland, for the site meeting.

CALLS were last night made for the development of clean coal plants overseas to be quickly copied in the region. The world's first coal-fired power station, which emits virtually no pollution, opened in Germany earlier this month.

By Dave Black CARBON-REDUCING measures for a pounds 2bn coal-fired power station planned in Northumberland have been called into question by another leading environmental organisation.

By BOB WATSON I GROW weary of attempts by what I regard as vested interests to keep the controversy alive over the building of another power station.

By Dave Black FOR years now it has been touted as the way forward in the polarised debate between supporters of a future for Britain's mining industry and those who say continuing to produce energy from coal is a one-way street to environmental ruin.