Parents who have suffered a loss of a child are invited to say goodbye at a service in King's Lynn.

The Mariposa Trust, a charity which supports those who have suffered the loss of a baby at any stage of pregnancy, at birth or in infancy, will hold a Saying Goodbye service at the King's Lynn Minster this month.

Held at cathedrals and minsters, this is one of 20 services taking place this year across the country. The service aims to remember and acknowledge the lives lost or cut short in a moving and reflective service for parents, and their extended family and friends.

The charity was established by Zoe and Andy Clark-Coates, who have suffered the loss of five babies.

Mrs Clark-Coates said: 'The experience of baby loss affects people deeply, often impacting key areas of their life, including health, relationships and work.

'People often feel isolated, and due to the taboo nature of loss, their pain and grief is seldom discussed or properly acknowledged.

'The Saying Goodbye services give people the opportunity to publicly remember and commemorate their losses, which is often the first time they have been able to do so.'

The service in King's Lynn, on Saturday, June 17, at 2pm, will be the 87th service the charity has held since being founded in 2012. It is open to people of all faiths or no faith, and is free to attend.

The service will feature music, poetry, acts of remembrance and personal stories, and have been attended by thousands of people in previous events.

One person who attended the service said: 'The Saying Goodbye service gave me the time and space to formally recognise all of my babies and the experience of being with people who just knew how it felt was a real strength.

'The loss of a baby by miscarriage is never formally recognised by ceremony - no funeral service is held, no date is noted, no names are recorded.

'As I stood with other parents and proudly rang the bell for my 14 babies, I felt unbearable sadness but also a great privilege in being able to properly celebrate their existence.

'For the first time ever I felt my tears of grief, loss and love were allowed, shared and understood.'

For more information about the Mariposa Trust and Saying Goodbye, visit the charity's website.