City falls silent for Hillsborough anniversary

A minute's silence has been held across Liverpool to mark the 37th anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster later.

The silence was held at 15:06 BST, the precise time the FA Cup semi-final football match, held in Sheffield in 1989, was stopped.

A bell at Liverpool Town Hall tolled 97 times and an instrumental version of You'll Never Walk Alone was played in tribute to each of the men, women and children who died as a result of the stadium crush.

Flags are being flown at half-mast from civic buildings across the city and the Town Hall will light up red this evening.

Members of the public gathered at Exchange Flags to pay their respects.

Liverpool Town Hall is open to the public from 15:30 to 17:00 to allow people to see a special Freedom of the City plaque which is engraved with the names of the 97 fans who lost their lives as a result of the disaster.

The 97 who lost their lives were remembered at Anfield ahead of Liverpool's Champion's League match against Paris St Germain on Tuesday evening.

In an online statement Liverpool FC paid tribute to the 97 supporters on what it said is a "significant and poignant day".

"Ninety-seven children, women and men lost their lives as a result of the events that occurred at the Reds' FA Cup semi-final against Nottingham Forest on April 15, 1989," the statement said.

"Ever since, the bereaved families and survivors of the tragedy have demonstrated remarkable courage, dignity and resilience in search of truth and justice.

"In April 2016, an inquest jury concluded that each of the Hillsborough victims had been unlawfully killed and that no role was played by fans in causing the disaster.

"Our thoughts on this significant and poignant day, as always, are with all those affected by the tragedy at Hillsborough and we pause in memory of the 97 fans who will never be forgotten."

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