A memorial service to mark the 40th anniversary of the Norfolk Road plane crash that claimed the lives of five people has been described as a “moving tribute”.

The Hunts Post: A memorial event was held in Sapley Playing Fields, Huntingdon, to mark 40 years since the Oxmoor disaster.A memorial event was held in Sapley Playing Fields, Huntingdon, to mark 40 years since the Oxmoor disaster. (Image: Archant)

More than 100 people attended the event on May 3 at Sapley Playing Field, in Huntingdon, where a memorial bench and five tree plaques were unveiled by Huntingdon mayor, Councillor Daryl Brown and former mayor Ralph Dean.

A service, to mark the tragic events in 1977 which destroyed nine homes, was led by the Reverend Andrew Milton and included a prayer from Padre Eddie Wynn.

The service was organised by Huntingdon Town Council to pay tribute to Adrian Thompson, aged six months, sisters Kelly and Tracey Middleton, aged four and two, and the pilot, Lawrence Davies and co-pilot John Armitage.

Natasha Pierson, deputy town clerk, said: “It was a very moving, and we hope a fitting tribute to those who died. We hope the bench and tree plaques will remain in place for many years to come and allow people to remember those who died that day.”

The town council is compiling a book of remembrance to collect people’s thoughts and recollections. This will be made publicly available once completed.