On the eighth anniversary of the Croydon tram disaster, in which seven people died and dozens more were injured, the borough will pay its respects with civic ceremony in New Addington on Saturday, November 9.

Today, the council issued a statement which said: “Residents are invited to attend the service to pay their respects. It will be held at 11am on Saturday November 9 at Market Square, Central Parade, New Addington.

“Councillor Kola Agboola, Croydon’s civic mayor, will welcome everyone to the event and read out the names of those who died, before observing a minute of silence,” the official announcement said.

Dane Chinnery, Donald Collett, Robert Huxley, Philip Logan, Dorota Rynkiewicz, Philip Seary and Mark Smith lost their lives in the derailment, in which more than 60 people were injured in the tram crash near Sandilands tram stop early on a November morning in 2016.

At this year’s ceremony, there will also be a prayer, and Fairchildes Primary School pupils will sing while flowers are laid.

Community leaders and first responders from the police, ambulance and fire services will attend this year’s memorial ceremony, as will Mayor Jason Perry. The council chief executive, Katherine Kerswell, is not among those listed as expected to attend.

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