Easington Colliery is a village in County Durham, England, known for a history of coal mining.

[2] The village's prominence increased after its use as the fictional Everington in the film Billy Elliot (2000), starring Jamie Bell.

[5][6][7] The youngest soldier to be awarded a Victoria Cross during World War II was Dennis Donnini, who was from Easington.

[8] While in the line of duty on 18 January 1945, fusilier Donnini (then aged 19) was wounded twice yet still led an assault on the enemy before being killed.

[8] There was a major mine disaster in 1951, sometimes called the Duckbill or Duck Bills Flare (or Fire).

[9] Although the shafts for the colliery had started to be sunk in 1899, the first coals were not drawn until 1910 due to passing through water-bearing strata.

[12] The Duckbill district was being developed, and it appears that the effect of this on the ventilation was overlooked, as admitted by the Assistant Agent (Mr H. E. Morgan) in cross-examination.

Provision was made for the mine manager to issue written permission for these men to carry electrical lights.

Within the coal can be found inclusions of rocks such as pyrites or quartz which shatter and produce a finely divided powder.

[19] At Easington in 1951 blunt picks from the coal cutter hit a patch of pyrites and generated sparks.

When firedamp explodes in a tunnel it generates a blast of gas which raises any coal dust lying around.

The coal dust, being finely divided, in turn explodes and the resulting explosion propagates along the tunnel as a flame front.

[21][e] One man (Frank Leadbitter) was at the shaft-bottom stables and led a party of men through the dust cloud towards the explosion.

The Chief Inspector of Mines singled Leadbitter out for especial praise for continuing even after feeling what they thought was a second explosion.

The first death was John Young Wallace (26) who simply sat down, fell unconscious and died.

A post mortem examination revealed emphysema and it was thought that the exertion led to breathlessness caused him to open his mouth and allow ambient air to leak in.

A bulla (blister) on his left lung had ruptured and the pain had made him gasp for breath, thereby inhaling a fatal amount of carbon monoxide.

On the same occasion, Easington Colliery's youngest miner, a boy of 16, planted the first of 83 trees, to line the walkway.

The band was supported financially and run by the joint board of unions, until the start of World War II.

Scenes inside the Elliot home and local street shots were filmed in Easington Colliery.

Avon Street, to the east, which is still intact, is shown when the postman walks up to the front of the Elliot residence to deliver Billy's letter from the Royal Ballet.

After a dance class, Mrs Wilkinson drops Billy off at a vacant lot of land on Crawlaw Avenue, just beyond Andrew Street.

The rear of the Rialto doubles as that of Everington Boys' Club, where Billy attends boxing and dance practices.

[citation needed] Poet, Songwriter and Durham miner Jock Purdon penned and sang the lament "Easington Explosion" regarding the 1951 disaster.

[citation needed] In 1971, members of rock band The Who shot the cover photograph for their album Who's Next at a concrete piling protruding from a spoil tip in the area.

[30] In 2008, the town was featured in an episode of Channel 4's The Secret Millionaire,[31] in which advertising mogul Carl Hopkins donated over £30,000 to the community.

Local renowned poet and Colliery resident Mary Bell also helped organise the single's release.

The song became a big hit with the locals and it was decided to make it into a single, with the proceeds going to a handicapped school in Easington.

[citation needed] Hammond was quoted as saying in a radio interview: "Having one of my songs done at Abbey Road Studios was great.

"[citation needed]A copy of the song was requested by Queen Elizabeth II to be sent to her at Buckingham Palace, and a copy of the song was made part of the living history memorabilia exhibition at the Yardy Gallery museum in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear.