Wrexham: Candlelit vigil to remember those who lost their lives in Gresford disaster

The 89th anniversary of one of Britain's worst coal mining disasters is being marked todaywith a candlelit vigil at the building where rescuers were sent to try and get help.

In the early hours of Saturday 22 September 1934, 266 local men and boys lost theirlives in an explosion and underground fire. 

In total 254 bodies were never recovered from the Gresford Colliery, near Wrexham.

The vigil, at The Wrexham Miners Project, gets under way at 6pm on Thursday evening - the time the miners started going down for their shift on 21 September 1934.

By 8pm all the miners were working underground so between these times on Thursday 266 candles will be lit by family members to remember their loved ones.

In order to mark the first explosion, the candles will be blown out by project staff at 2.08am on Friday.

Organiser George Powell said the vigil, which is open to the public, is a chance for families to remember their loved ones.

"It is so important they are never forgotten," he said.

"It is a dangerous job and this is also an opportunity to remember all the miners whohave lost their lives or been seriously injured over the years in this industry," he added.

A memorial wall at the station is made up of red bricks and contains the names, job titles and ages of the 266 victims of the tragedy.

On Friday 22 September the annual memorial service will be held from 11am at the Miners Wheel.

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