FOLK singer brought to an emotional close a historic walk about the Pretoria Pit disaster.

Corrie Shelly joined the event led by mining historian Alan Davies. She sang Jonny, a song she has written about the disaster and is about a woman called Mrs Tyldesley who lost four sons, two brothers and her husband in the disaster.

The Pretoria Ruins Walk and Talk, which is held regularly, details the tragic events that caused an underground explosion which killed 344 local man and boys on December 21st 1910 — just four days before Christmas. It became known as the Pretoria Disaster and the ruins of the site on the Atherton/Over Hulton are still clearly visible

John Bullen, chairman of the Over Hulton Community Group, said: “Corrie had booked on the event and when we reached the capping of the shaft which actually blew I asked her if there was any possibility she would sing the song she has written about the Disaster.

"It's called 'Jonny' and Corrie was inspired to write it when she heard the tale of the Tyldesley family. On that awful day Mrs Tyldesley lost four sons, her husband and two brothers. It is impossible to even contemplate the impact of that. Corrie's song is a mother's lament of how she wishes she had not let her son go to work down the mines and more especially how she regrets letting him go to work that morning. What an incredibly emotional experience it was to hear Corrie's voice sing this song on the actual site. I am sure everyone who was there will never forget it."