My Dad was a mining engineer all his working life, first in the NE (of England), then in the Midlands. He specialised in ventilation - designing and looking after the airflow systems down the mines.

One of his duties was to contain the fires that started every now and again. A coal-seam fire is normally largely unseen - no flames or anything like that - and is usually detected by slight temerature rises or unexpected condensation. Only real cure is to seal off the relevant tunnels and starve it out.

I heard a lot of tales about him from former colleagues - he used to supervise the re-opening of sealed tunnels and one time he walked into a still-glowing tunnel, had a look around and came back out, boots smouldering, saying, "Mmmm, better seal this one up again lads" (!). They loved him. When I worked at the National Coal Board I was always known as Bob Jennings' son.

During a fire, we might not see him for days and nights on end, so when we were kids we used to forge his signature on the child allowance vouchers - it didn't fool the post-mistress at all, but she still gave us the money!

He got off lightly from his time down the mines - busted his nose one time, and later lost half a finger when he got a bit close when inspecting a coal face and it came down on him...

I've got one of his Davey Lamps, which he used at a mine called West Cannock No.5, right in front of me on my desk. He's eighty-six now, deaf as a post, but still going strong. Pete