The horrors of the Holocaust were remembered at a ceremony in Rayleigh.

Residents, children, dignitaries, and representatives of many denominations met near the beacon in Bellingham Lane, Rayleigh, to hear thought-provoking readings about the Second World War atrocity.

Solemn - the open-air service remembers the Holocaust in which a third of the world's jews perished Picture: MIKE NEVILLE

The event took place on the 58th anniversary of the day when Russian troops arrived at a concentration camp at Auschwitz and began to discover the scale of the mass killings of Jewish people.

Rochford and Southend MP Sir Teddy Taylor was among those who delivered readings at the open air ceremony.

He said: "It was very well attended. It is an excellent thing to do to hold an event like this.

"When you consider that one-third of the world's Jewish community was wiped out in the Holocaust, and things like that are still going on in places like Rwanda, and East Timor anything that makes us stop and think is a good thing."

The ceremony was conducted by Rayleigh Rector, the Rev David Parrott.

Published Tuesday, January 28, 2003

Brought to you by the Evening Echo