GRIEVING families joined together to remember stillborn babies at a touching memorial service.

Around 70 islanders packed into St Nicholas Church, in Long Road, Canvey, to sign a book of remembrance and hang a personal message on its Christmas tree.

Faye Bailey, 27, an ordinand at the church, organised the event to support parents who have lost children before, during, or after birth.

Wednesday night's service, which is set to become an annual event, was designed to provide families with the opportunity to grieve safely and privately.

Mrs Bailey said: "It was really well attended and I just hope that everybody was able to benefit from it.

“Some left as soon as the service finished, and some decided to stay and have a chat. There’s no right or wrong way to come to terms with this, as everyone chooses to grieve in different ways.

"What’s really positive is that the event brought people together who’ve lost children at different times, from somebody losing a child in 1947 to a family affected in very recent weeks.

“Off the back of this event’s success, we hope to make it annual service.”

As part of the service, the church provided information on charities and support groups based in south Essex.

Mrs Bailey was inspired to put on the event after hearing about a similar service at Chelmsford Cathedral.

She said: “It is difficult to get people to walk into a church in a city nowhere near to them, so it seemed the best thing was to organise something on the island for the community.

“We figured that residents are more likely to drop in. It is important services like this happen locally to let people know they are not alone, and that a child lost at any stage of pregnancy must be remembered.”