A church held a special service to commemorate 140 years since a ship was sunk off Portland Bill.

St Andrew's Church in Southwell held the service to remember the sinking of the SS Avalanche in 1877, an incident that took the lives of 106 people.

The SS Avalanche was taking 63 passengers to their new homes in New Zealand when it collided with the SS Forest.

The disaster made national headlines at the time and St Andrew's Church was built in 1889 as a memorial of the incident. The church later became known as The Avalanche Church.

The commemorative service was fully attended with members of the community and representatives from many different organisations.

Mrs Bronwen Evans-Kent, a representative from the New Zealand High Commission, attended and was presented with a plaque to commemorate the occasion.

The Reverend Tim Gomm led the service with prayers said by the Reverend James Menzies. Two readings were given at the service, one by Cllr Charlie Flack, the deputy mayor of Portland, and the other by Cllr Rodney Wild.

Mr Flack said: “It was very nice to be part of the service. It is an annual service and isn’t usually so well attended but because it was a major anniversary it was absolutely full.

“The choice of hymns was emotional because they were all orientated around the sea. It was a very emotional.”

The service ended with a performance of The Last Post played by Maddie Louch of Portland Sea Cadets, and Rev Gomm lit one of the church’s candles in remembrance during the song.

The Rev Gomm then invited people to watch a video of the rescuing of the SS Avalanche’s anchor in 1986 along with many pieces of China and candles which are on display in the Church.

Following the service there was a collection to raise the money needed to fix the church’s bells.

The congregation was then invited to the church hall where they were treated to a cream tea and talked with friends. Members of the public generously donated scones which were accompanied by clotted cream donated by The Lobster Pot.