Tears flowed as relatives of the victims were in the audience for a premiere of a poignant new opera to mark the 90th anniversary of the Gresford Colliery Disaster.

There was a standing ovation at the end of the emotionally charged performance of Gresford – Up From Underground on the opening night of the North Wales International Music Festival at St Asaph Cathedral.

It told the story of how 266 men and boys were killed when a massive underground explosion and fire ripped through the pit near Wrexham on September 22, 1934.