ST HELENS North MP Conor McGinn has attended a service in Warrington today to mark the 25th anniversary of the IRA bombing which killed two children in the town.

Mr McGinn joined HRH The Princess Royal, the Irish Ambassador to Britain and Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, Steve Rotheram, alongside civic, political and religious leaders from the region.

They observed a minute's silence on Bridge Street, where the bomb exploded, in memory of Tim Parry and Johnathan Ball.

After the service, a reception was held in the Peace Centre founded by Tim’s parents Colin and Wendy Parry.

Mr McGinn, who grew up in Northern Ireland, said: “It was very humbling to be with the families and friends of Tim Parry and Jonathan Ball to mark such a poignant anniversary.

"Many people in the borough of St Helens, particularly where I live in Newton-le-Willows, have strong connections to Warrington and were deeply affected by the bombing.

"I was there today to show that the solidarity our community showed with the people of Warrington in that dark hour is still as strong today.

“Colin Parry’s remarkably generous and moving words both at the time of the bombing and a quarter of a century on are an inspiration to us all.

"He and Wendy, and the work of the Peace Centre, have made a remarkable contribution to building better relations between Britain of Ireland.

"The awfulness of such terrible destruction of life could easily have led to hatred and anger.

"Instead, the determination and generosity of the Parry family and the people of Warrington helped further peace and reconciliation. "That important work has and continues to make a difference, and is the lasting legacy of the two young boys we gathered to remember.”