A BOLTON miners leader was in a union delegation involved in a confrontation with French police when they tried to demonstrate outside Prime Minister Tony Blair's hotel during the European summit in Nice.

The union leaders were prevented by the police from displaying a banner protesting about plans to expand the European Union and over delays in compensation claims for UK pit workers.

Billy Kelly, the National Union of Mineworkers' general Lancashire area secretary, who lives in Bolton, was one of half a dozen officials from the European TUC involved in the protest.

"We're not against our Eastern European neighbours but we feel there is a danger the EU could grow in to a superpower, resulting in a loss of democracy," said Mr Kellly, who is based in Leigh.

"Superpowers result in arguments and war and we represent those who suffer most as the fodder in any conflicts."

Four of the Lancashire NUM representatives took part in the Nice demonstration proudly bearing the colourful banner of the Bold Colliery (St Helens) branch.

They tried to pin a "Justice for Mineworkers" banner to the front of the plush hotel where the Prime Minister was staying, but the police moved in.

"They told us we could demonstrate after Mr Blair had left," said Mr Kelly.

He said the NUM intended a peaceful protest highlighting the lengthy delays ex-miners faced after making compensation claims for industrial illness. Compensation claims put in by thousands of ex-miners have dragged slowly through the system.

Solicitors acting for hundreds of claimants have sent out letters offering a will writing service because some clients are worried they might die before their compensation is paid. Union leaders are furious about what they see as unnecessary delays in processing claims.

Mr Kelly said ageing colliers, who must have completed more than 20 years underground to make a claim, had to complete a 40-page questionnaires so complicated that legal advisers had to be brought in to help.

"Very few claims have been processed and some claimants chose to go for a 'fast track clearance' and accept low compensation because they feared if they didn't accept they might not be alive when the settlement finally came through," Mr Kelly added.

"But most have received letters from British Coal, or the DTI if you like, asking them to fill in yet another form to speed up their claim! It is ludicrous. This delay is intolerable."

He claimed some ex-miners had not claimed because they did not wish to go through more rigorous medical examinations.

"Why should they have to go for another medical?," he asked. "They have already undergone Department of Social Security assessment."

Many miners are having difficulty proving their length of service because work records have been destroyed or lost in recent years.