THE last coal mine in Kirklees is set to get a £140,000 boost from the Government.
Hay Royds pit at Clayton West has been offered the cash towards a £460,000 development plan to secure its future.
The pit, which has 24 employees, has to find the remaining £320,000 for its plans to upgrade a coal preparation plant, develop new underground machinery and cut through fault lines to get at more coal reserves.
The colliery is owned by J Flack and Sons, which has worked the mine since 1908.
Workings extend more than a mile from the pithead and the colliery produces about 40,000 tonnes of coal a year for domestic use.
Managing director David Flack said that getting approval for the £140,000 grant was only the first of many hurdles to clear before investment could go ahead.
He added: "We still have to find £320,000, either by borrowing or generating cash from our operations."
Mr Flack said: "This investment is needed to help the business continue."
The grant is part of a £32m aid package announced by the Government for the coal mining industry.
Twelve 12 pits across the country have been offered cash to help secure more than 4,300 jobs and create a further 223. The mines include ones in West and South Yorkshire, the Midlands and Wales.
Pit owners had to apply for the grants, which provide up to 30% of development costs for schemes to unlock potential coal reserves which would be unworkable without major investment.
Energy Minister Stephen Timms said: "This substantial investment will help to preserve and create jobs in our coal industry and help secure the future of mining to 2008 and beyond.
"If taken up, today's award winners will see a total investment of £175m for the UK coal industry," he added.
