THE 86th anniversary of one of Wrexham’s greatest tragedies will still be marked next week.

This year, due to the current Covid-19 restrictions in place, the 11am anniversary service of the Gresford Colliery disaster, will be held at the memorial on Bluebell Lane, Pandy, and will only be attended by children and grandchildren of the disaster victims.

Others who wish to pay their respects are asked to do so after 12pm but are strongly advised to stick to social distancing.

Mayor of Wrexham, cllr Rob Walsh, said: "The Gresford Colliery disaster affected the whole of Wrexham, with almost every village in the County Borough losing someone.

"This year now marks 86 years since the 266 men and boys lost their lives in such dreadful circumstances.

"So many families across Wrexham suffered terribly in the aftermath, as the explosion left large numbers of people widowed and fatherless, and around 1,600 people jobless.

"It’s an incredibly sad part of our history in Wrexham, and one that we will never forget."

On the evening of Friday, 21 September 1934, 266 men descended into the Dennis section of the Gresford Colliery to begin their shift, with it being particularly busy as many of them were ‘doubling up’ so they would be free to watch the Wrexham match on Saturday afternoon, however, sadly, only six of them would return.

At 2.08am Saturday morning (September 22), an explosion tore through the colliery, killing countless miners in the process.

Edward Williams, engine attendant at the Dennis section recalled: "It came nearer like thunder and then the place was all black.

"You couldn’t see anything."

Over 200 rescue workers were sent down in an effort to rescue the miners but all they recovered were 11 bodies, three of them belonging to the first rescue team.

One of the rescuers described that mine as being ‘just like hell’.

Once news reached town, crowds began to gather around the mine as women and children waited for loved ones who would never return.

After 40 hours of toiling it became clear to the rescuers there was nobody alive left to save, so they decided to close the shafts at 6pm Sunday afternoon.

The explosion left 200 widowed, 800 fatherless and 1,600 jobless.