DOZENS of bereaved parents gathered to light a candle in memory of their loved ones.

A memorial service organised by the Staffordshire branch of The Compassionate Friends was held at Trentham Parish Church last night.

The Compassionate Friends is a group which allows bereaved parents to talk about their experiences and support each other through difficult periods in their lives.

Paddy Hind, who helped organise last night's service, is a local contact for the Staffordshire branch of The Compassionate Friends as well as bereaved parent herself.

She told The Sentinel: "The Compassionate Friends aims to help bereaved parents and their families by offering understanding, support and encouragement after the death of a child.

"We meet at this church on the last Wednesday of every month. It's not counselling as such, it's more a befriending and support service.

"People often find it helpful as part of the grieving process to talk about their experience to others who are, or who have been in the same boat."

Sue and Alan Wrench who attended last night's memorial service, lost their son Alec on December 23, 2006.

The 17-year-old from Northwood died after falling through a corrugated plastic roof and dropping around 30 feet at North Staffs Tyre and Battery, in Williamson Street, Tunstall.

Sue was told about The Compassionate Friends by someone else who had lost a child.

The 52-year-old said: "I desperately needed to speak to someone I could empathise with and who understood how I was feeling.

Alan, aged 55, said: "I was a bit hesitant about The Compassionate Friends at first, but once I met people who were in the same boat I realised it could be beneficial."

During the service a number of prayers were read and hymns were sung including Make Me a Channel of Your Peace and The Lord of Sea and Sky.

Peter Mitton from The Rookery, near Kidsgrove, attended the service.

His 25-year-old son Lee died in a car crash in December 2004.

Peter was introduced to The Compassionate Friends by Linda Burns, the mother of one of Lee's former girlfriends.

Linda, from Trentham, lost her son Adam when he was 24 years old as a result of an accidental drug overdose.

The 58-year-old said: "I knew Lee well, but I never met his parents. When I found out about his death I wrote to them and told them about the group.

"My doctor had told me about it when Adam died 15 years ago and I've been involved ever since.

"At the time I thought "Why me?", but you realise that there are many others feeling the same.

"I've even been on holiday with people I've met through the Friends.

"It is a wonderful group, but something a lot of people aren't aware exists."