Liverpool Remembers Hillsborough Victims

Silence fell across Liverpool yesterday as it churches and town hall bells tolled to pay its respects to the 96 fans who died 25 years ago during the 15 April, 1989 FA Cup semi-final match at the Hillsborough stadium.

The city stopped to remembered the victims at precisely 3.06pm.

Public transport came to a stop, the barriers at the Mersey tunnels were lowered, the bells tolled 96 times, once for each victim and a large screen at the city's Lime Street station displayed photographs of the victims.

At the same time, more than 30.000 people gathered at Liverpool's Anfield stadium for an emotionally charged service to mark the anniversary of the disaster, where the team manager Brendan Rodgers and Everton's Roberto Martinez gave readings alongside Trevor Hicks and Margaret Aspinall, the long-campaigning leaders of the Hillsborough Families' Support Group.

Former and present Liverpool's players and managers joined the victims' relatives at the event where a gospel choir led the Anfield anthem, You'll Never Walk Alone and writer Jimmy McGovern released 96 balloons .

Scarves from all English football league clubs were laid out on the pitch to form the figure 96 and 96 seats were draped in scarves and left empty in a symbolic gesture which completed the emotional ceremony.

(CVS)