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Sunderland miners thank Bruce Springsteen for strike donation

Peter Harris
BBC Look North
PA Media Bruce Springsteen sings into a microphone while holding a guitarPA Media
Bruce Springsteen has not publicly commented on his donation

Rock star Bruce Springsteen has been thanked for ing striking miners 40 years on from the dispute.

The musician surprised two miners' wives with a $20,000 cheque at his gig in Newcastle in 1985.

Juliana Heron, now 76, who ran a miners' group at Eppleton near Sunderland, said his donation made a "big difference" to families.

Springsteen did not seek publicity at the time and did not respond to the BBC's request for comment.

Mrs Heron and her friend Anne Suddick had been given free tickets for the gig at St James' Park but had no idea they would get to meet the star.

They were invited backstage at the interval where the musician gave them the cheque.

"He just said 'I truly what the miners are doing for their communities, I want to present you with this cheque'," Mrs Heron said, adding: "We didn't even look how much.

"We go back to our seats and Anne opens the cheque and she says 'it's for $20,000', and I said 'how much is that":[]}