Memorial service to mark the 25th anniversary of the Piper Alpha oil rig disaster

A special commemoration service will be held tomorrow to mark the 25th anniversary of the Piper Alpha disaster which claimed the lives of nearly 170 people.

The 1988 disaster is world's deadliest oil rig accident, killing 167 men and leaving others injured after a gas leak caused the platform to explode.

The oil rig which was off the coast of Aberdeen and operated by Occidental Petroleum was completely destroyed by the explosion, and it took three weeks to extinguish the resulting fires.

The ceremony will take place at 11am at the North Sea Memorial in Aberdeen's Hazelhead Garden. Shortly before the start of the services there will be a flypast of an RAF Sea King helicopter from Lossiemouth which was the first aircraft to arrive on the scene of the accident 25 years ago.