This industrial town was once known as ‘the largest mining village in the world’. Despite its historic claim, Ashington (like every other town and village of south east Northumberland, except Ellington) has no remaining deep mines. Its proud past is, however, remembered at the nearby Woodhorn Colliery Museum. Today Ashington's future is largely based on the development of the new Wansbeck Business Park where the major employers include the American company Simula (manufacturers of car safety air-bags), FAL Textiles (horse blankets) and the UK office headquarters of IDC (Industrial Diseases Compensation). Other major employers in the town include Dewhirsts Ladieswear (suppliers to Marks & Spencer), the Taiwanese company Lite-On (suppliers to the electronics industry) and Northumberland College – the county's premier Higher Education Institute. The town's wide range of shops and leisure services is complemented by two country parks: the Wansbeck Riverside Country Park and the Queen Elizabeth II Country Park at Woodhorn. The latter contains the QEII Country Park Railway. Ashington's famous footballing sons include Jackie Milburn and Bobby and Jackie Charlton. Market day is Tuesday.