Two men died yesterday following an industrial accident at the Chalmerston/Pennyvenie Open Cast Coal site, near Dalmellington in East Ayrshire.

Two men died yesterday following an industrial accident at an opencast coal mine.

The men are understood to have been in a Land Rover vehicle which was run over by a large dump truck operating at the Chalmerston/Pennyvenie Open Cast Coal site, near Dalmellington, East Ayrshire.

No details have yet been released of the men. They were pronounced dead at the scene of the incident, which happened at lunchtime.

Strathclyde Police said that officers were called to the site, owned by Scottish Coal, at about 1pm.

A spokesman for the Scottish Ambulance Service said: "The two persons died at the scene. We're led to believe the dump truck ran over a Land Rover type vehicle."

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has launched an investigation and police said a report would be sent to the procurator-fiscal.

Andrew Foster, managing director of Scottish Coal, said: "On behalf of all at Scottish Coal we would like to extend our deepest sympathies to the families, friends and work colleagues of the two men.

"A full investigation of the incident has been launched. The site has been closed and will remain so until the investigation is complete."

Mr Foster said the company would co-operate fully with the police and HSE, adding it would be inappropriate to comment further on the circumstances of the accident until the findings of a preliminary report were known.

Elaine Stewart, Labour councillor for Dalmellington, said last night: "I was devastated to hear of the accident.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of the two men who lost their lives as well as the men who operate the site, who will also be feeling the loss of their colleagues.

"While a large proportion of the employees of these sites may not necessarily be from local villages, nevertheless the mining heritage is still strong in Ayrshire. The loss of life through an accident like this is something we feel acutely as we have experienced it many times before."

The Chalmerston/Pennyvenie site, which employs 140 workers, is part of the East Ayrshire Coalfield Initiative, involving principally the areas around Cumnock, New Cumnock, Muirkirk, and Dalmellington, where communities have been devastated by the decline of the deep mining industry.

The initiative is a partnership involving local authorities, conservation bodies and industry, which work together to enhance, conserve, and promote the environment in East Ayrshire.