A SERVICE is to be held to remember the 266 men who died in the Gresford Colliery Disaster.

School children will take part in the service of remembrance, at 11am on September 22, at the memorial on Bluebell Lane in Pandy.

It will mark 85 years to the day when an explosion ripped through the Dennis section of the Gresford mine, causing the biggest human disaster in the history of North Wales.

Of the 266 men who died, just 13 received a proper burial as 253 of the men were left entombed where they died.

Gresford Industrial Park stands in place of the colliery where obelisks mark the whereabouts of the Dennis and Martin shafts.

A wheel from the Dennis headgear was used for the memorial which was dedicated in 1982 in the presence of the HRH The Prince of Wales.

Margaret Jones, secretary of the friends of Gresford Colliery Disaster Memorial, told the leader she would encourage residents to turn out for the service.

She explained: "266 people died, which means a lot of families in Wrexham and beyond were affected. "Some of the men were grandparents and great grandparents and we still have a lot of people who are very interested in knowing their family members were involved.

"It is very important and the service is very well attended every year.

"We made a promise to Vicar David Griffiths in 2014 that we would keep the memory of those who died alive.

"He stepped down in 2017 and now the service is led by the Reverend Huw Butler of Llay."

A service has taken place on September 22 since the memorial was first unveiled in 1982 by Prince Charles and Princess Diana.