A TASKFORCE set up to save mining jobs following the collapse of Scotland's biggest coal-mining company is to visit one of the communities affected today.

The group, made up of MSPs, union officials, councillors and the Coal Authority, will meet in Cumnock, East Ayrshire, as they strive to come up with a plan to rescue some of the 600 jobs axed following the liquidation of Scottish Coal.

The company, which operated six open-cast mines across Scotland, folded last month after being crippled by falling coal prices and rising costs.

However, there are hopes some parts of the firm can be saved and kept running as new ventures.

Energy Minister Fergus Ewing, a member of the taskforce, said that preservation of Scottish jobs was top of the agenda.

He said: "The Scottish Government is working to support continued mining operations and the preservation of Scottish jobs, as well as ensuring the responsible restoration of sites.

"Today's meeting of the taskforce will continue our work to ensure all relevant parties are taking every possible action to retain as many Scottish Coal jobs as possible and the Scottish Mines Restoration Trust will continue to engage with local communities, local councils, landowners, and coal operators to ensure the best possible outcome for local communities."

Earlier this month, Scottish Coal's administrators KPMG named County Durham-based Hargreaves Services as the preferred bidders for Scottish Coal's assets, raising hopes that mining jobs will be brought back to the coal fields.

Earlier this year, Hargreaves bought the rights to take over the assets of Scotland's second-biggest open-cast mining firm, ATH Resources, which was put into administration in December.

Last week the firm also bought the troubled mining company Aardvark, which had operations in East Ayrshire, Dumfries and Galloway and Fife

Mr Ewing added: "I welcome the announcement by Hargreaves last week that a deal has been reached which will help save almost 240 [jobs] at ATH.

"The Scottish Mines Restoration Trust will work with Hargreaves to facilitate the restoration of old open-cast coal mines across Scotland.

"The responsible restoration of open-cast sites is expected to create, over time, hundreds of jobs across the country."

Meetings of the Government's taskforce have already been held in Cumnock, Coalburn, Alloa and Dunfermline.

Miners have been given help finding training and other opportunities to retrain for work in another sector.

Funding has also been made available through the Scottish Government's Employability Fund.