Manchester United play host to Chilean miners

They came, they had a kickabout and they cheered – and the crowd at Old Trafford cheered back when the Chilean miners at the centre of this year's dramatic rescue were guests of honour at Old Trafford last night. The 33 men, who were hauled more than half a mile to safety in a cramped capsule from the San José copper mine, donned Manchester United's red shirts for a practice session before watching the club's Premier League match with Arsenal. The miners were flown over for the visit at the suggestion of Sir Bobby Charlton, who survived the 1958 Munich air crash and whose father was a miner in Ashington, Northumberland. The trip was organised by another of Chile's staple industries, the wine trade, through the Concha y Toro (Shell and Bull) winery, Latin America's largest and sponsors of United. The group was bussed to the club's practice ground in Carrington, a flatland sprawl of industry west of Manchester, after a celebration meal hosted by Charlton. He told them: "You took what happened in your stride and the world is very proud of you." The visitors also met United's manager, Sir Alex Ferguson, and players including striker Wayne Rooney, pictured. Ferguson said: "These are people who showed real substance and perseverance to make sure they survived. There are examples in life which you should always take note of. I mean, the life of a miner, having to work in the bowels of the earth and not being able to see anything. That's a great sacrifice to earn your living. I'm sure they'll enjoy themselves on their trip." The visit may feature in one or more of the films being negotiated about the dramatic rescue and the miners' subsequent status as international role models. Other global events include the display of one of the rescue's spare capsules at the Shanghai Expo. The original went on show outside Chile's presidential palace in Santiago.