Memorial ceremony held for Love Parade victims

Hundreds of people gathered at a stadium in the western German city of Duisburg to watch a live transmission of a memorial service for the victims of the Love Parade festival, where 21 people were crushed to death and 500 injured in a tunnel that was the only entrance to the event.

The memorial at Salvator Church, which opened with sombre organ music, was shown on screens in the football stadium and a dozen other churches in the western city of Duisburg.

The 550 seats in the church were reserved for relatives of the dead and injured and official guests. Chancellor Angela Merkel, President Christian Wulff and Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle also attended the church ceremony.

The ceremony was led by Roman Catholic and Lutheran Protestant clerics - representing Germany's two main denominations.

Mayor Adolf Sauerland, whom many people blame for failing to adequately plan for the event, did not attend. Sauerland has said he would not attend Saturday's memorial out of respect for the feelings for the victims and their loved ones.

People have expressed deep anger at city authorities, particularly Sauerland, whom they blame for failing to adequately plan for the event.

Organisers have come under fire for allegedly trying to squeeze as many as 1.4 million party-goers into too small a space and for allowing only one access point onto the grounds.

A preliminary report by police investigators on Wednesday accused the organiser of the festival of major security breaches that may have led to the crush.