Fifty years ago dozens of coal mines and their communities thrived in County Durham.

Today the mines are gone. But still the spirit of the communities lives on, and shows itself in abundance at the annual Durham Miners’ Gala.

The event — a coming-together of trades unions, activists, campaigners, families — was this year more inspirational than ever as evidence of the resilience of working-class communities, and their organisations, against unrelenting attacks.

The gala has a procedure stretching back more than 130 years.

It starts with the assembly early on Saturday morning of union and campaign banners.

At 8.30am, marchers, many led by brass bands, head through the centre of the small city of Durham, where the roads are shut for the day.

They parade through one main route and two feeder marches.

Each band, with banner following, pauses and performs a piece beneath the balcony of the County Hotel, where guests who are to address the gala rally show their appreciation.

This year the procession of people, bands and banners was still winding its way to the gala field more than four hours after the start. The route to the field, half a mile away, is lined with tens of thousands of people who cheer every band, every banner.

This year the banner heading the march was that of Durham’s Trimdon Grange colliery. It was one of 80 pit union banners raised on Saturday — along with dozens more from other unions, campaign groups and schools, in a show of community solidarity which the gala represents.