THE TUC is launching a #70,000 campaign urging people to switch off

their lights for five minutes to show support for the miners.

The-switch off is the latest phase in the campaign to save the 31 pits

and 30,000 jobs threatened by British Coal's original closure programme,

which is now being reviewed by the Government.

Union leaders hope for a ''great switch-off'' at 8pm on Saturday to

show the Government the depth of anger over the coal crisis.

The move will coincide with the arrival in London of a group of

Scottish miners who have marched from Glasgow as part of the campaign to

save threatened pits.

The TUC will spread its SOS (Switch Off Saturday) message through 1000

posters across the country.

''The miners will have done their bit by marching the 636 miles from

Glasgow to London,'' said a TUC spokesman.

''Members of the public don't even have to leave their living rooms to

show their support.''

TUC general secretary Norman Willis will greet the marching miners

when they arrive in Stratford-on-Avon, Warwickshire, today.