The Christ Church in Coalville is hosting a display inside of memorabilia from the Whitwick Mining Disaster this weekend.

This will be followed by a short service of reflection and remembrance starting at 11am next Wednesday (April 19), 125 years to the day since it happened.

The weekend event is being organised by South Midlands Mining Heritage and The Facebook Group 'Whitwick Colliery Disaster'.

There will be a display for the first time of the family history trees of people involved in this tragedy.

There is also a board display about Whitwick Colliery - and Leicestershire Museums will have a display of Mining Rescue Memorabilia.

The Exhibition is at The Christ Church itself, not the Church Hall, able-bodied people are asked to park in the car park over the road from the church. 

The church will be open on:

• Saturday 15th April    10am to 4pm

• Sunday 16th April     10am to 2pm

There will also be act of commemoration and remembrance for the disaster on Wednesday at 7pm at Whitwick Park Hall, North Street, Whitwick.

Last year, a ceremony took place to mark the unveiling of a new memorial to the tragedy, with Ibstock-based actor Stephen Graham officially cutting the ribbon.

You can see a video of the occasion HERE.

The newly constructed memorial was unveiled in front of over 200 guests and can be found on Percival Way, off Grange Road, in Hugglescote.

It is located over the area of mine workings where the disaster occurred.

Along with the memorial plaque at Christ Church in Coalville, it is the first memorial dedicated to the names and families of the 35 miners who lost their lives on April 19, 1898 and will become a monument to the 12 men who are still entombed in the workings.

In the early hours of that day, 124 years ago, a fire broke out underground which cut off the escape route and air to the 42 miners working in No.5 Pit at Whitwick Colliery, today the site of Morrisons Retail Park in Coalville.

As the fire increased, eight miners were able to get out, but one, Charles Clamp, returned into the workings to help his fellow miners only to succumb to the smoke and die.

Of the 42 men, only seven survived and during the following 10 months, 23 bodies were recovered, but sadly 12 men were irretrievable and are still in their place of work.

It was the only mining disaster in Leicestershire when a large number of men were killed in one event.