A former miner who spent his 21st birthday on a picket line will talk to students today about lessons they can learn from the 1984/85 strike.

Mel Hepworth was invited to lecture at Royal Holloway University Labour club after setting up a Facebook page to mark the forthcoming 30th anniversary of the dispute.

He said the page, which has attracted support from 15,000 people in just four weeks, has helped forge a "connection" between generations.