Liverpool mark 25 years since Hillsborough

Liverpool's players were in attendance as Anfield hosted the 25th anniversary memorial service for the victims of the Hillsborough disaster this afternoon.

Loved ones of those who died were joined at Liverpool FC's home by players, club officials and ordinary fans among the 24,000 attending to mark today's emotional anniversary.

Ninety-six Liverpool fans died in the crush on the Leppings Lane terraces at Sheffield Wednesday's Hillsborough stadium after going to see their team play Nottingham Forest in an FA Cup semi-final on 15 April 1989.

As the families of those who did not return home took their places in reserved seats on Anfield's famous Spion Kop for the start of the service, the crowd got to their feet as one with a roar of approval and a huge ovation from all four sides of the ground.

There were also loud cheers and clapping for the gathering of past and present Anfield greats who took their seats, including current club captain Steven Gerrard, Kenny Dalglish - manager at the time of the disaster, Ian Rush, Phil Thompson, Alan Hansen and Graeme Souness.

More recent stars Jamie Carragher, Robbie Fowler and Steve McManaman were also in attendance, along with Howard Kendall, Everton's manager in 1989, and current Everton boss Roberto Martinez, who gave a reading.

On the pitch, thousands of football scarves were laid out in the shape of a '96', donated from fans and clubs across the UK and beyond after an appeal from Liverpool FC for scarves to show a symbol of unity across fan rivalries.

Some of those present at today's memorial are witnesses in the new inquest into Britain's worst sporting disaster, which began last month and resumes next week.

The original accidental deaths verdicts in 1991 were quashed in the High Court in 2012 after a long campaign by the fans' families.

Traditional football hymn Abide With Me was sung before the names of the 96 fans were read out.

At each name, a light was lit, one by one, on a large piece of sculpture entitled the Band of Life, until all the lights were illuminated.

As the time reached 3.06pm, the exact moment the match was abandoned while the tragedy unfolded, a minute's silence began throughout the city.

The minute's silence ended with a round of applause, as across the city bells tolled 96 times at churches and civic buildings.

Next week, a celebration of the lives of the 96 victims is planned with a charity match in support of the Hillsborough Family Support Group.

A team of UK and Irish Liverpool legends, managed by Dalglish, will take on a side of international Reds greats, under the charge of Gerard Houllier.

The commemorations come a fortnight after fresh inquests into the deaths of the 96 victims opened in Warrington. Liverpool's players will be in attendance as Anfield hosts the annual memorial service for the victims of the Hillsborough disaster.

The commemorations come a fortnight after fresh inquests into the deaths of the 96 victims opened in Warrington.

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