Moving service honours 344 victims of mining disaster

The ceremony took place, as ever, at the memorial on Broadway in Atherton and was attended by 100 people.

Those who died have never been forgotten, with a service held every year on the anniversary and memorial stones placed on the site as a permanent reminder.

Pretoria Pit, sited on the border of Atherton and Westhoughton, employed hundreds of people from across the area in its heyday.

But disaster struck at 7.50am on December 21, 1910 when there was an underground explosion caused by a gas build-up.

Of the 347 people who went down no 3 Bank pit that fateful day, only four came out alive, Sadly, one of those who survived would succumb to his injuries less than 24 hours after his rescue, while a second died of pneumonia a week later.

Boys as young as 13 were killed and families in the area were devastated, with some losing several people in the disaster.

Thanks for reading. If you value what we do and are able to support us, a digital subscription is just £1 for your first month. Try us today by clicking here