A memorial service to remember seven miners killed in the Lofthouse Colliery disaster near Wakefield, 40 years ago, recently took place in and around the village of Wrenthorpe, close to the site where the tragedy occurred.

Seven dead

The men died when the seam they were working flooded after they had cut into an abandoned shaft, releasing three million gallons of trapped water.

Frederick Armitage, 41, Colin Barnaby, 36, Frank Billingham, 48, Sydney Brown, 36, Charles Cotton, 49, Edward Finnegan, 40 and Alan Haigh, 30, all died in the disaster on 21st March 1973.

Only Mr Cotton's body was recovered. The bodies of the six other men remain in the mine.

Services

The weekend of events and church services organised to mark the 40th anniversary commenced with a concert by Lofthouse 2000 Band at Outwood WMC to a capacity audience of families, former miners and local dignitaries, followed by a BBC Documentary outlining the events of 40 years ago.

A memorial service with readings and prayers led by the Bishop of Pontefract and hymns led by Lofthouse 2000 Band was also held in a memorial garden in the village of Wrenthorpe at the site where it is believed the men died.

Procession

A procession of ex-miners and local dignitaries walked for more than a mile from the memorial garden to a St Pauls Church in Alverthorpe for a service which included poems about the disaster, candle lighting and heartfelt reminiscences by Lofthouse miners and members of the mines rescue service as well as hymns accompanied by the band.

As the current band originated as old Lofthouse Colliery Band, it was only fitting we should honour the men who diedMD, Andrew Whitaker

Proud

Band MD Andrew Whitaker told 4BR: "As the current band originated as old Lofthouse Colliery Band, it was only fitting we should honour the men who died. Lofthouse 2000 Band is proud and humbled to have been involved in the weekend’s commemorations of this mining disaster."