Remember Christmas morning? Dandy or Bunty Annuals, a tangerine, a new skipping rope, or a bow and arrow set, Action Man, a new doll, card or board game…toys that didn't have 'batteries not included'?

Even if you don't remember those days, you can experience them at Snibston Colliery Park on Sunday, December 17, when the Snibston Heritage Trust volunteers and colliery guides will tell you stories of the miners' Christmas.

On the tours, former miners take visitors around the colliery buildings and tell of their lives working in the local coal mines.

The miners will also share stories of Christmas at the 'pits' and the 'parties' underground.

To accompany these stories, there will be a hands-on exhibition of toys from Christmas past, and some can be played.

Demonstrators will tell personal stories of being the child of a miner at Christmas in the 1950s and 60s.

The exhibition and hands-on toys will be in the Colliery Café, with festive refreshments on sale to keep the cold of December at bay.

The colliery tours will be at 11.00am, 12.45pm and 2.30pm and can be booked through Eventbrite HERE.

Colliery tours are £3.00 per adult and free for children under 16.

The toys of Christmas past exhibition is free and open from 10.30am to 4.00pm.

Snibston Colliery Park also features the children's adventure play area, mountain bike trails and country park walks which are all free.

There is a charge at the Colliery Park to park your car and there are charging points for electric vehicles.

Coal face Christmas decorations at possibly Snibston or Whitwick Colliery

Colliery guide Steve Brotherhood said: "It's hard to believe that we would have a party underground - safely of course - like other places of work to celebrate the start of the Christmas holidays when the mines were closed.

"But not all mine workers got the time off at Christmas as Deputies had to check the mine daily for gas build up or flooding issues. A coal mine never really 'closed' for any holiday.

"At Christmas, miners always made sure that their families were provided for over the Christmas with plenty to eat and drink as well as new toys, games and books for the children.

"This special event at Snibston Colliery Café and Colliery buildings will bring back to life those past Christmases'".

For further information about A Miner's Christmas, colliery tours or volunteering at Snibston contact Stuart Warburton, Secretary Snibston Heritage Trust on [email protected] or 01530 833521.