TRIBUTES flooded in after the passing of Anne Scargill, a leading figure in the battle against pit closures in the 1980s.

A pioneer of feminist community activism, the Barnsley-born campaigner co-founded Women Against Pit Closures (WAPC), providing support for striking miners and their families.

Ms Scargill travelled internationally, fundraising and gathering support for the strike and continued to fight against pit closures in the 1990s.

Tributes poured in following her death on Thursday night at the age of 83 after a long battle with ill health.

Labour MP and former miner Ian Lavery called her a “true working-class hero whose contribution to our movement will never be forgotten.”

The Orgreave Truth and Justice Campaign stated: “Her unrelenting commitment to the struggle made her a formidable force.”

Anne formed a “dynamic duo” with her close friend and fellow WAPC activist Betty Cook, it said.

“They were regularly together on rallies, demonstrations, picket lines and many other labour movement events and it has always been a wonderful expectation to meet up and see their lovely smiling faces together.”

Ms Cook wrote on Facebook: “We have done so much together in our fight for our mining communities.

“Arrested and locked up in the same cell, organised a picket line in India and narrowly missed being arrested fighting for the cotton workers.

“We travelled the world together and now you travel the heavenly skies.”

National Union of Mineworkers general secretary Chris Kitchen said: “Anne remained committed to supporting the NUM and mining communities until Alzheimer’s cruely robbed her of her memories.

“She was a regular attendee at every NUM event, and we all have fond memories of her, her strong will meant that she was very hard to say no to (believe me I have tried).”

Durham Miners Association chairman Stephen Guy said: “Anne was a family friend first and foremost, but her tenacity in seeking justice for mineworkers and workers in general was something we shared with her. 

“She led from the front without question or complaint. She was caring, intelligent and loyal. 

“The friendship and camaraderie she shared with my mam, Joan and Brenda Hopper began in the 1984-85 strike and stood the test of time.”