HOME Secretary David Blunkett plunged 140 metres underground to launch a new book helping people find out about their mining ancestors.

Mr Blunkett was at the National Coal Mining Museum, in Overton, near Flockton, to promote the new exhibition Routes to Roots and the booklet that goes with it.

The new exhibition is designed to help people find out about their mining ancestors.

The booklet has been written by museum librarian Alison Henesey.

She said the booklet was designed to help people who were not familiar with research to find facts out about the past.

She said: "We have a lot of people who come to the museum who want to track their family history within the mining communities, but don't really know how to do it.

"The booklet and exhibition are designed to help them.

"I have tried to make it accessible for families so everyone and anyone can get involved.

"It has taken me about a year to get everything together and finished but the hard work has paid off and I am very pleased with the outcome."

David Blunkett and guide dog Sadie were shown around the exhibition by Mrs Henesey who also explained how the booklet helped make the complex history of mining simpler.

Then the Home Secretary went down the mine.

He said: "When I was a youngster the experience of mining was passed from father to father but now that will gradually die away.

"We need to make sure we can still bring that to life for today's children.

"People need to experience for themselves what it was like to go down in to the bowels of the earth and learn how it was both good and bad.

"This museum allows people to have a glimpse of the good and bad of working in a pit and now they can learn more about the mining communities as well."

The exhibition runs until Sunday December 19. The booklet which accompanies it is on sale in the museum shop priced £2.