Neil Brittlebank, 83, started his unusual hobby in 1984 when collieries were closing and he thought it would be a shame to let the bricks go to waste. His collection started with a brick from Rothwell Colliery when he noticed the bricks had the name of the mines embedded on them. （Photo: VCG）

His collection started with a brick from Rothwell Colliery when he noticed the bricks had the name of the mines embedded on them.

Pictured is a cyclindrical brick shaped like a 1950s farthing. The brick enthusiast now proudly owns 350 bricks, some of which belong to old collieries and some have been handed to him by strangers who are fascinated by his collection.

Neil Brittlebank, 83, started his unusual hobby in 1984 when collieries were closing and he thought it would be a shame to let the bricks go to waste. His collection started with a brick from Rothwell Colliery when he noticed the bricks had the name of the mines embedded on them.