Around 250 people, led by the town's mayor Maureen Charlesworth, attended the Holocaust Memorial Day event at St Mary-in-the-Castle.

It was organised by the Hastings and District Jewish Society, the Christian Friends of Israel, and the Council of Christians and Jews, with the support of Hastings Borough Council.

The service had as its theme 'The Legacy of Hope,' and was led by the Rev Chris Sears MBE, and Frank Miller.

Stella Harris and Christophe Lennard gave a compelling account of the life of Irena Sendlerowa, a heroine of the Warsaw ghetto who saved 2,500 Jewish children.

Opera South East sang before, during and after the service, with Bernard Perkins singing The Mourner's Kadish.

Helenswood GCSE dance students and two GCSE music students performed a poignant piece based on human rights and Amnesty International choreographed by dance teacher Elaine Vanner.

They also sang a song specially written for the occasion by their teacher Niall Whitehead.

A collection was held for the Hastings Sierra Leone Friendship Link, and the money donated will be used to help fit out a resource building in Hastings, Sierra Leone.

Holocaust Memorial Day is dedicated to the victims of the Holocaust, in which six million European Jews were murdered by the Nazis in concentration camps.

It was first held in January 2001, and has been held on January 27 every year since.

The date marks the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz concentration camp in Poland by the Soviet Union in 1945.