MP SANDRA Osborne has expressed her dismay that George Osborne did not take the opportunity to visit the sites of former opencast sites when he came to the area to visit.

The Chancellor made a flying visit to Dumfries House last Monday. The trip was not widely publicised and only the local press was in attendance.

The member for Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock said: “Whilst it is very welcome that recognition has been given to the very positive work going on at Dumfries House and the jobs and tourists it is bringing to the area, the fact remains that we have major problems relating to the impact of the failure to meet obligations on restoration of mine workings with a huge shortfall in funding for this.

“I personally was not informed of his visit until he had been and gone, otherwise I would have invited him to join me on a tour of the sites.

“I am concerned that both Governments seem to think that ignoring the funding shortfall will make it go away - it will not and I will continue to raise it.”