A triple shipping disaster that killed a total 51 people is to be retold in a film showing.

It was a domino catastrophe when two vessels collided in thick fog in the Strait of Dover and two other ships crashed into the wreckage.

Footage detailing this will appear in Dover Film 1971, which is part of the Annual Dover Film festival next month.

The Texaco Caribbean collided with the freighter Paracas on January 11, 1971.

Eight of the tanker's crew died and 22 had to be rescued.

The Texaco exploded and broke in two parts with the bow sinking to the bottom of the sea while the stern at first remained afloat.

In the following days 600 tons of oil spilled from the Texaco, covering 15 miles of the English Channel and polluting an area between Folkestone and Littlestone.

The crash had been 13km (8.1 miles) off Folkestone and the blast damaged property there.

The day after the collision, January 12, the cargo ship Brandenburg hit the stricken stern of the Texaco.

It sank in minutes, 21 sailors died and 11 were rescued by local fishermen.

It is unclear whether the wreck had been unmarked or the crew misinterpreted the markings.

On February 27 the cargo ship Niki also hit the wreckage and 22 crew died.

The catastrophe prompted the International Maritime Organization to make the shipping traffic separation system mandatory and navigation marks were improved.

Dover Film 1971, produced by Ray Warner, also shows a visit by the Duke and Duchess of Kent to Dover College.

Other footage includes community and civic events such an open day by the Junior Leaders regiment, based at the then Old Park Barracks in Whitfield.

The annual festival screens two productions showing life in Dover exactly 40 or 50 years apart.

The second film this time, Dover Film 2021, is produced by Mike McFarnell and shows the town emerging from coronavirus lockdown.

It showcases 26 events including the lantern procession which welcomed Amal, a 3.5 metre high puppet representing a nine-year-old refugee girl. That finished locally at Dover Castle.

The giant puppet was also at Folkestone and Canterbury that October.

Other events shown include Dover's Remembrance Sunday service and its first Winter Light Up lantern parade in December.

Annual Dover Film is at the Silver Screen Community Cinema in Marker Square.

The 18 screening times are as follows:

Sunday, March 6: 1pm and 3pm. Monday, March 7: 11am, 1pm, 3pm, 7pm. Tuesday, March 8: 1pm. 3pm, 7pm. Wednesday, March 9: 11am, 1pm, 3pm, 7pm. Thursday, March 10: 1pm, 3pm, 7pm. And Friday, March 11: 1pm. 3pm.

Tickets cost £5 for adults, £4 for senior citizens and £2 for children.

You can pay at the door but the website dover-film.com will provide updates as to when seats are available.

To book in advance turn up at the box office before a showing, telephone 07704 930892 or email doverfilmfestivals@gmail.com