The largest peacetime loss of life ever suffered by Britain's fire and rescue services has been remembered at a memorial service.

Nineteen men were killed while battling a massive blaze at a whisky warehouse in Cheapside Street, Glasgow, on March 28 1960.

An explosion at the facility sent its 60ft walls crashing into the street below.

Fourteen city firemen and five members of the Glasgow Salvage Corps died in the blast.

Members of the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) marked the anniversary with a service at the city's Necropolis.

Chief officer Alasdair Hay told those gathered at the memorial: "It is a privilege to be here to remember each of the 19 brave men who tragically lost their lives.

"Many of us are paying tribute to each of them as a professional firefighter and colleague but they were also fathers, husbands, brothers and sons.

"While time may heal the sense of loss, memories last a lifetime and I know that today will sharpen those memories for everyone who knew and loved them."

He added: "As career firefighters we know that every day men and women in fire and rescue services around the world risk their own lives to save the lives of others.

"Bravery and selfless devotion are inherent in every firefighter - it's what drives them to join the service and commit, without question, to environments that many people could never even imagine. This tragedy was such an environment.

"At its height, 450 firefighters fought the blaze. Only minutes earlier it had taken the lives of 19 of their colleagues, but they fought on without question.

"Cheapside Street, Kilbirnie Street, Dudgeon's Wharf in London, Zephaniah Way in Gwent, Gilinder Street in London and Balmoral Bar in Edinburgh are among the incidents that serve to always remind us of the risks our crews take each time they deploy."

The Glasgow firefighters who died were James Calder, John McPherson, John Allan, Christopher Boyle, Gordon Chapman, William Crocket, Archibald Darroch, Daniel Davidson, Alfred Dickinson, Alexander Grassie, George McIntyre, Edward McMillan, Ian McMillan and William Watson.

The Glasgow Salvage Corps members were Edward Murray, James McLellan, Gordon McMillan, James Mungall and William Oliver.

Mr Hay added: "The sacrifice made by the 19 men fighting the Cheapside Street fire will always be remembered - they are a proud part of our history and our thoughts will always be with them and their families."