More than 200 coal miners from a number of different mining communities around the country began a march to Madrid today, which will culminate on July 11th with a demonstration in protest against cuts in the public sector.

At ten o'clock, 80 miners set off from Mieres (Asturias), another 46 from Andorra (Teruel) and 80 from Villablino and Bembibre (Leon) confirmed the CCOO union. Other workers from Castilla-La Mancha plan to join the march too.

During their 19-day march to Madrid, the miners will be looking to garner public support for their cause and hope to pressurise the Government into reconsidering its cuts in the general state budget of more than 60% in the coal mining sector.

Coal miners have already held 26 days of strikes, which have paralysed the industry and caused road closures and disruption disruption to rail services.