Moving tributes to the 344 men and boys killed 115 years ago in the Pretoria Pit mining disaster

Descendants, dignitaries and members of the public came together to remember the 344 men and boys who died at Pretoria Pit on December 21, 1910.

They gathered at the memorial on the site, which is on the border of Atherton and Westhoughton, for a service led by former Bolton West MP Julie Hilling.

There was music by Jim Berry, from the Houghton Weavers, and Andrea Finney read a poem.

Wreaths and flowers were then laid at the memorial, which bears the names of everyone who died in the disaster.

Hundreds of people once worked at the pit, but disaster struck when there was an underground explosion caused by a build-up of gas.

Of the 347 who went down no 3 Bank pit that day, only four came out alive.

Sadly, one of the survivors succumbed to his injuries less than 24 hours later, while a second died of pneumonia a week later.