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Liverpool falls silent to remember 96 victims of Hillsborough disaster

Xinhua, April 15, 2016 Adjust font size:

Liverpool fell silent for one minute Friday as the city marked what will be the final memorial for the 96 victims who died in England's worst ever football disaster.

Thousands gathered at the famous Anfield Stadium, which has become a shrine for the fans who died in a crowd surge in a cup semi-final clash at Hillsborough Stadium, home ground of Sheffield Wednesday FC, on April 15, 1989.

At 3:06 p.m. local time (1606 GMT), the city remembered the victims in collective silence, marking the time the match was abandoned. Bells at the city's Metropolitan Cathedral and at City Hall in Dale Street tolled 96 times, one ring for each of the victims.

The youngest who died was Jon-Paul Gilhooley, just 10 years of age, one of 38 fans aged 19 or under to perish. The oldest victim was aged 67.

Mersey Ferries linking both sides of the river blasted their horns, and the barriers at the two road tunnels beneath the river were lowered for one minute as even drivers stood still. Shops and offices in the city center also observed silence, as flags on public buildings were flown at half mast.

The April 15 memorial service at the Anfield Stadium has been held every year since the tragedy. But relatives of victims took the unanimous decision that this should be the final memorial.

Liverpool's Mayor Joe Anderson said: "We will never forget those who died at Hillsborough, and this is a day for us to unite as a city, and remember each one and also their families and friends left behind."

Margaret Aspinall, who chairs the Hillsborough Family Support Group, said: "We hope that the public and fans respect the decision of our group and will continue to remember the 96 in their own perhaps more private way."

Following a long campaign a new hearing was ordered into the disaster which left 89 males and seven females dead in a matter of minutes. The inquest started in March 2014 and currently the inquest jury is considering its verdicts after hearing evidence over two years. Enditem