A memorial service
will take place in honour of the dozens of victims of the Gresford Colliery disaster in 1934.

People will gather at the memorial in Bluebell Lane, Pandy, on Friday, September 22 at 11am.

This year marks the 83rd anniversary of the disaster, in which 266 people died.

A service has taken place on September 22, officiated by the Rev Canon David Griffiths since the memorial was first unveiled in 1982 by Prince Charles and Princess Diana.

This year Canon Griffiths will be aided by the Rev Huw Butler, vicar of St Martin’s Church, Llay.

The miner’s hymn Gresford, written by Robert Saint, will be played by Llay Miner’s Welfare Band.

Family and friends waited 48 years for somewhere to lay their flowers and wreathes for the victims of the region’s biggest mining disaster.

Money was raised for the restoration of the memorial and plinth at the 80th anniversary.

When the work was finished, year 11 schoolchildren from Ysgol Rhosnesni planted the garden, aided by Wrexham Council’s parks department.

Gwersyllt Community Council donated a memorial bench in the garden earlier this year.

All are welcome to attend this service in memory of the victims of the Gresford Colliery disaster – a tragedy which was felt across the Wrexham area.

A total of 253 bodies remain entombed where they died in an enormous explosion in the early hours of Saturday, September 22, 1934.

Those who died included miners who swapped shifts as they intended to watch Wrexham AFC play Tranmere Rovers in the afternoon.