HE signed off the cheques handed to the desperate families of striking miners.

And as a miner himself, David Shankland was at the heart of the battle 30 years ago.

And he knows exactly who’s heart was in the fight and who didn’t have the stomach for the year-long battle.

So this week, the 70-year-old contacted the Chronicle to lend his support to George Foulkes.

The MP was embroiled in a row with SNP MSP Adam Ingram over his claims Labour politicians were anonymouys in Cumnock during the strikes.

Foulkes angrily refuted the allegations, prompting an apology from Ingram, and David has backed the Labour man’s versions of events.

The Mauchline man said: “I was the convenor of Cumnock and Doon Valley District Council and signed the cheques, along with a representative from the union, to the families from the Welfare Fund.

“So I was heavily involved and knew what was going on. I’m an SNP supporter, have been for the last 20 years, and I’m no Labour apologist.

“But I just felt I had to get in touch to defend George. At the time of the strikes, there was NOBODY that worked harder then him.

“He was a great help to myself and all the miners on strike. He was 100 per cent behind the workers.” The Chronicle has spoken to a selection of miners, in varying roles, as they look back 30 years after the strikes broke out.

And David admits it was a difficult and testing time for everyone involved.

He added: “Being involved in signing off the cheques and being a striking miner meant I was well aware of the struggles.

“I was an electrican at the Barony and went on strike on two occasions. Neither time was easy.

“When I first went on strike Jim Sillars was the MP and he was good. George was brilliant also. It was tough times for us but he couldn’t have been stronger for us. He was very much on the front line.”