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Sutton Manor Colliery was the only pit within the former St Helens boundary to be opened during the twentieth century and the last to close. It dates back to 1906 when the first shaft (582 metres in depth) was sunk. The second shaft (710 metres deep) was completed in 1912. The two pits were interlinked and this became one of the largest pits in the Lancashire coalfield.

At its height in the 1960s, Sutton Manor employed 1500 men, producing more than 600000 tonnes of coal each year. It closed in 1990, with significant coal reserves still remaining underground.

Stewardship of the site passed to the Forestry Commission and more than 50000 trees were planted, creating the Sutton Manor Woodlands.

Fiddler's Ferry Power Station is a coal fired power station located which is capable of co-firing biomass. It is situated on the north bank of the River Mersey between Widnes and Warrington. Opened in 1971, the station has a generating capacity of 1,989 megawatts (MW). The station has been operated by various companies since the privatisation of the Central Electricity Generating Board in 1990. Scottish and Southern Energy plc (SSE) has operated the station since 2004.

With its eight 114-metre (374 ft) high cooling towers and 200-metre (660 ft) high chimney Fiddler’s Ferry power station is a prominent landmark and can be seen from as far away as the Peak District and the Pennines.

Abridged from Wikipedia Link
Link SSE page about Fiddler’s Ferry