The creator of a multi-media poetry show inspired by the infamous New Cross fire 40 years ago and the Grenfell Tower fire two years ago hopes it will help youngsters not feel cheated out of their history.

Jay Bernard, an award-winning poet, is bringing the show Surge to The Albany in New Cross from June 20-22.

This Is Local London:

The 'New Cross Massacre' resulted in the deaths of 13 young black people who were celebrating a birthday party before the tragic 1981 house fire.

No cause of the fire was ever established and tension regarding alleged police incompetence and government indifference sparked the Brixton Riots.

Surge, told in the voices of those who died, is based on a one-off experimental performance at Camden Roundhouse which won the Ted Hughes Award 2018 for new work in poetry.

The poet said: "I was compelled by the story and the fact it was never taught to me or mentioned in any history class I attended.

"I was intrigued by its position in Britain's subconscious; there are articles about it, even today, and there was a memorial in 2011.

"But its link to the Brixton uprising in 1981 is rarely discussed. When Grenfell happened the year after I had started the project, the New Cross Fire once again became relevant.

"I hope the show helps local people, particularly young people, not feel so cheated out of their history, as I did."

Bernard's one hour show also uses archive, film, video and audio and the show asks what can be learnt from the fire in the age of Grenfell, Brexit, Trump, xenophobia and the far-right resurgence.

The show’s opening coincides with the publication of Bernard’s debut collection of the same name published by Chatto & Windus.