Hundreds of people were in attendance for a ceremony marking the 50th anniversary of the M62 coach bombing which claimed the lives of nine soldiers and three civilians.

Sunday (February 4) marked 50 years since one of the deadliest mainland terror acts committed on British soil during the Troubles when an IRA bomb went off in the coach.

On Sunday, an extended parade was held along with a special memorial service and a wreath laying ceremony at Hartshead Moor Services, westbound, near where the incident took place.

The Oldham Times: Wreaths were laid at the plaque honouring the victimsWreaths were laid at the plaque honouring the victims (Image: Royal Regiment of Fusiliers)

The parade and service were organised by the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers and saw family members of those who died in attendance, along with civic leaders and the Oldham Scottish Pipe Band.

Get the latest news delivered straight to your inbox by signing up to The Oldham Times’ morning and evening newsletters as well as our breaking news alerts 

Alan Noble, president of the Oldham branch of the Royal British Legion, said the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers "pulled out all the stops" and described it as "a very moving day".

The Oldham Times: Alan Noble speaking at the serviceAlan Noble speaking at the service (Image: Royal Regiment of Fusiliers)

Mayor of Oldham, Cllr Zahid Chauhan OBE, attended the service and took part in the wreath laying ceremony.

On X, formerly known as Twitter, Cllr Chauhan wrote: "It was a solemn privilege to lay a wreath on behalf of the Citizens of Oldham.

"May we honour the memory of those we have lost and stand together in solidarity against senseless violence.

"May this world be a better place where innocent people not been killed."

Three of the nine servicemen who died, Cpl Cliff Houghton, 23, Lance Cpl James McShane, 28, and Fusilier Jack Hynes, 19, all from Oldham, were amongst the fatalities that day.

The coach was driving a number of off-duty service personnel and relatives from Manchester to an Army base in Catterick, North Yorkshire, and one in Darlington.

The Oldham Times: The Oldham Scottish Pipe Band played at the serviceThe Oldham Scottish Pipe Band played at the service (Image: Royal Regiment of Fusiliers)

After departing from Manchester on the evening of February 3, a 25lb bomb left in a luggage locker on board detonated shortly after midnight on February 4 while many of the people on board slept.

Some civilians were on the coach as well, including Cpl Houghton's wife, Linda, and their two sons, Lee and Robert, who were aged five and two respectively.

The Oldham Times: A wreath laid in memory of Fusilier Clifford Haughton who died along with his wife Linda and their two sonsA wreath laid in memory of Fusilier Clifford Haughton who died along with his wife Linda and their two sons (Image: Royal Regiment of Fusiliers)

Dozens of people were injured by the bomb and the aftermath led to one of the biggest miscarriages of justice in British history.

Ten days after the bombing, 25-year-old Judith Ward, from Stockport, was arrested while waiting to board a ferry from Liverpool to Ireland.

She was wrongfully convicted and served 17 years of a life imprisonment sentence, before her convictions was quashed in 1992 by the Court of Appeals.

This came after it was revealed government forensic scientists had deliberately withheld information from her defence counsel during her trial which strongly indicated her innocence.

In 2010, a plaque honouring the victims was unveiled outside Oldham Parish Church.