Tragedy on the terraces

AT LEAST 93 people were crushed to death and 200 were injured yesterday including many teenagers and children when the FA Cup football semi-final between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest turned into Britain's worst sporting tragedy.

Last night police were under pressure to explain why they had allowed between 3,000 and 4,000 Liverpool supporters to surge into the Hillsborough ground in Sheffield just before the kick-off.

Witnesses said that when the new arrivals, who did not have to show their tickets, came on to the terraces, the crowds were forced down the steps towards the fence behind the Liverpool goal.

Six minutes into the game, police ordered the referee to stop the match as Liverpool supporters, 2,000 of whom were crammed into a small area behind their goal, began climbing an 8ft fence to escape the crush. As dozens cleared the fence, police opened a small gate behind the goal to allow others to get out. Within seconds, spectators were falling over one another, through the gate and on to the field.

The scenes were reminiscent of the Heysel stadium tragedy four years ago, but without the violence. Most of the deaths are thought to have happened as fans were pressed against crush barriers and the fence, although some died trying to escape through the small gate. Most people died from asphyxiation, some because of the internal injuries they suffered in the crush.

Last night Peter Wright, South Yorkshire's chief constable, admitted that a senior police officer had given the order to open the 16ft-wide steel gates that allowed the latecomers in. But he denied that this was what caused the tragedy: ``I am not aware of any connection between the surge on the terrace and the gate being opened,'' he said. ``There was danger to life outside, as perceived by the police. In order to relieve the pressure on the turnstiles the gate was opened.''

According to Wright, the senior officer's decision was made at 2.50pm, as a large crowd of Liverpool supporters became restless at the length of the queues to get in. The officer had about 40 of the game's 800 police officers at the Leppings Lane entrance. However, some Liverpool fans say the gates were opened less than two minutes before the match. The spectators filed into the ground, some peeling off to take their seats in the stand, others moving through a tunnel on to the terraces behind the Liverpool goal.

Michael Owens said: ``We all walked straight through in an orderly way. Then the crush began. ``Gradually we felt more and more pressure from behind. The police ahead of me opened a small gate onto the pitch but that was useless, it was so small. People began to panic. The man next to me fainted and we managed to lift him up. There were just too many people. Too many people were let in.''

Russ Green, 29, a journalist from Wavertree, Liverpool, was in the stands above the chaos: ``I heard the most appalling screams. All I could see were people clinging to a fence, and people trying to climb over.'' Thomas Byrne, 37, of Marathon Close, Everton, who escaped with crush injuries to his ribs, said: ``I have no idea how I got out. Some people were walking on other people's heads to get away from the crush.''

There were 8,000 to 9,000 supporters in the section of the ground behind the Liverpool goal, banked 30 deep up the terraces. Above them sat Russ Green and 4,500 other spectators, who could only watch as fans struggled to get out.

Many fans were taken away on makeshift stretchers, their heads covered by coats, while others lay spreadeagled on the pitch. When the stretchers ran out, Liverpool supporters pulled away advertising hoardings to carry off their injured friends.

After 45 minutes some supporters were still being given heart massage. As the ground's gymnasium was turned into a mortuary, the injured were taken to four hospitals: the Royal Hallamshire, the Northern General, King Edward VII and Barnsley district general. Last night 73 people were being detained, 22 in intensive care.