A PHOTOGRAPH of a former miner which formed a central part of an exhibition at the World of Glass now has pride of place on the wall of MP Conor McGinn's Westminster office.

'When the Pit Closed' was created by photographer Alan Smith and was unveiled at the World of Glass to mark 25 years since Sutton Manor Colliery closed down.

It portrayed the impact the closure in 1991 had on 10 ex-miners and what has happened to each of them since.

Conor McGinn was among the attendees at the exhibition's launch and has now had the picture of 89-year-old ex-miner Alf Houghton presented to him in London.

"He expressed an interest during the opening event and I said he'd be more than welcome to one of the pictures for his office wall," said Alan, from Rainford.

"He wrote to me after the opening event saying 'The combination of the pictures, words and music is an evocative reminder of the closure, its impact and the different journeys the former miners then embarked on' .

"I replied reminding him that he was welcome to one of the pictures.

"I decided on Alf Houghton's picture because before becoming a miner at Sutton Manor, Alf was a glass blower so his career was steeped in two of the industries which made St Helens what it is today."

Conor added: "I thought Alan's exhibition at the World of Glass was fantastic and very moving, and I was delighted with his kind offer to let me have one of the pictures to put on display in the Houses of Parliament.

"It's a great reminder of the important heritage we have in St Helens and the important role coal, the pits and the miners played in the story of our town and borough."