After a day at school eight boys went for a sea bathe when they were caught by the tide and separated from the beach by a 100-yard wide, 12ft deep gutter.

Two of the boys were able to swim to safety and raise the alarm. But by the time help arrived it was too late for the other boys who were out of sight.

An hour later three boys' bodies were found and a week later the other boys were also found drowned.

Their names were Samuel Gilderoy, 11, George Gilderoy, nine, William Ellis, nine, Thomas Ellis, 11, Walter Williams, 10, and Martin Mahan, 10.

The Ellis brothers were sons of a well known local farmer. The Gilderoy brothers were the sons of the manager of Greenfield Colliery, Holywell.

Five out of the six who drowned sang in the choir at the parish church, Christ Church.

The vicar said in his sermon: "Side by side these boys sang God's praises on earth and let us hope that side by side they still sing in heaven's own choir." The sunlight still shines through a stained glass window in the parish church, installed in their memory opposite the seats from which the boys used to sing. Trinkets are still left on their graves by people who come to remember them.