Comparisons between the current migrant crisis and the persecution of Jews were made at a Holocaust Memorial Day service.

More than 80 members of the public and dignitaries gathered around the Holocaust Memorial Stone in St George’s Church Garden, Deal, to pay tribute to those who lost their lives in the Holocaust.

A short wreath laying service was led by the Rev Chris Spencer yesterday, before the congregation packed into Deal Town Hall for a historical talk.

Introducing proceedings, the Mayor of Deal Cllr Nick Tomaszewski related the genocide of six million Jews by the Nazi regime to the circumstances that led to the Channel migrant crisis.

He said: "This year's theme is Torn From Home as victims of the Holocaust were torn from their homes and taken to death camps.

"I related this to the way we're treating migrants escaping their homes and trying to reach the Kent and Sussex coast. Are we really welcoming these people? We don't seem to be.

"That's what's concerning. Are we really learning any lessons from what happened during the Second World War?

"Many people said I hit the spot. We should be building bridges not walls."

The event continued with a presentation by Cllr Ben Bano, entitled 'Humanity in the face of evil – Four Women confront the Holocaust'.

He talked about teenage diarist Anne Frank, a German Jew, and French Resistance member Simone Weil, who died in Ashford.

Edith Stein, a German Jew who became a Catholic nun, who was martyred after dying in the Auschwitz gas chamber in 1942, also featured.

The fourth person was Etty Hillesum, a Dutch author who described he persecution of Jews in Amsterdam during German occupation. She also died at Auschwitz in 1943.

El Malei Rachamim, the Jewish prayer for the souls of the departed, was read in Hebrew by Cllr Tomaszewski with Stuart Hopps reciting it in English.

Event manager Jo Harper said: "The event was extremely well attended by over 80 people including members of the public, Deal Town councillors, The Chairman of DDC Sue Chandler and civic dignitaries from all over Kent."