A memorial service to commemorate the anniversary of the Winter Hill disaster will be held in St John’s next Tuesday, February 27.

The service is to be held in the Cooil y Ree Park in St John’s at 11am at the site of the memorial plaque.

The UK ceremony will be attended by a group of 25 from the island and will be held at 12pm at the crash site in Lancashire, after which there will be a ceremony to mark the opening of a special exhibition about the crash.

The Rotary clubs of Douglas and Horwich, the town closest to the crash scene, have marked previous anniversaries by laying wreaths at the top of Winter Hill.

The club said that many people have been in contact this year regarding the anniversary so it hopes to have many people attending the memorial.

Howard Callow of the Rotary club said: ’We are particularly struck by the fact that the last remaining survivor of the plane crash Norman Ennett will be travelling to Horwich on the day - his first visit to Winter Hill since the day of the accident.

’At this year’s event music will be provided by members of Douglas Town Band and a piper from the Ellan Vannin Pipe Band.

’At the conclusion of the service attendees are invited to enjoy refreshments at Greens Cafe.’

The Bristol Aircraft Type 170, owned by Silver City Airways and operated by Manx Airlines, was being used as a charter flight.

The flight was to carry group of mainly motor traders to visit the Manchester Exide Battery Factory and Manchester car show.

It was piloted by Captain Edward Cairnes and First Officer William Howarth.

Departing Ronaldsway at 9.15am, the flight to Manchester was due to take about 38 minutes .

However, by 9.45am, the aircraft crashed near the summit of Winter Hill, killing 35 of the 42 on board.

Of those killed, 23 were from the motor trade, with garages across the whole island affected. Among the others killed was Manx police sergeant Jack Cretney.

The official inquiry into the crash concluded it was caused by ’the error of Mr Howarth in tuning the radio compass on Oldham Beacon instead of Wigan Beacon’.

It added that Captain Cairnes failed to check that the radio compass was tuned to the correct beacon.

The report also listed the weather, a lack of clear understanding and the final order to turn given by Manchester control tower.

It was during this turn that the plane crashed.

The UK ceremony will be attended by a group of 25 from the island and will be held at 12pm at the crash site in Lancashire, after which there will be a ceremony to mark the opening of a special exhibition about the crash.

The Rotary clubs of Douglas and Horwich, the town closest to the crash scene, have marked previous anniversaries by laying wreaths at the top of Winter Hill.

The club said that many people have been in contact this year regarding the anniversary so it hopes to have many people attending the memorial.

Howard Callow of the Rotary club said: ’We are particularly struck by the fact that the last remaining survivor of the plane crash Norman Ennett will be travelling to Horwich on the day - his first visit to Winter Hill since the day of the accident.

’At this year’s event music will be provided by members of Douglas Town Band and a piper from the Ellan Vannin Pipe Band.

’At the conclusion of the service attendees are invited to enjoy refreshments at Greens Cafe.’

The Bristol Aircraft Type 170, owned by Silver City Airways and operated by Manx Airlines, was being used as a charter flight.

The flight was to carry group of mainly motor traders to visit the Manchester Exide Battery Factory and Manchester car show.

It was piloted by Captain Edward Cairnes and First Officer William Howarth.

Departing Ronaldsway at 9.15am, the flight to Manchester was due to take about 38 minutes .

However, by 9.45am, the aircraft crashed near the summit of Winter Hill, killing 35 of the 42 on board.

Of those killed, 23 were from the motor trade, with garages across the whole island affected. Among the others killed was Manx police sergeant Jack Cretney.

The official inquiry into the crash concluded it was caused by ’the error of Mr Howarth in tuning the radio compass on Oldham Beacon instead of Wigan Beacon’.

It added that Captain Cairnes failed to check that the radio compass was tuned to the correct beacon.

The report also listed the weather, a lack of clear understanding and the final order to turn given by Manchester control tower.

It was during this turn that the plane crashed.