Sister's harrowing Hillsborough tragedy memories

A grieving Wigan woman is to feature in a new TV documentary about the Hillsborough Disaster.
Julie FallonJulie Fallon
Julie Fallon

Julie Fallon’s brother Andrew Sefton was one of the 96 Liverpool fans to die in the horrific crush at the stadium that fateful day in April 1989.

And in the programme being screened on Welsh channel S4C this evening, she opens her heart about the tragedy, her family’s loss and the subsequent campaign which led to the recent damning inquest into the catastrophe.

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Andrew, a 23-year-old security officer from Skelmersdale, was a Tottenham supporter who agreed to drive his friends and go to the FA Cup semi-final with theml. They all survived.

Andrew Sefton who died at HillsboroughAndrew Sefton who died at Hillsborough
Andrew Sefton who died at Hillsborough

Julie is apeparing on a programme called Hillsborough: The Long Nightmare (Hillsborough: Yr Hunllef Hir) made by television producer and passionate Liverpool supporter, Dylan Llewelyn who was 23 years old at the time and was a survivor on that day.

Julie said: “Being forever young is something to be desired but there is nothing to be desired for being forever young because you haven’t experienced life. I miss what he didn’t become. My mum collapsed as we identified Andrew in the hospital corridor, I saw two policemen coming down in the corridor and they just stepped over her. The vast majority of the families found it very hard to find any kindness that night. The very first question they asked was had he been drinking.”

On the returning of the accidental verdict at the 1991 inquest, Julie said: “When the accidental death verdict came in, it was just stunning.It became obvious that this was a real fight.”

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And on the 2016 inquest verdict she said: “When the verdict came through, my heart went scrunch and all the angst and the pressure of the last 27 years, the feeling of duty and burden – with me being the last standing member representing Andrew - it all went.”

Andrew Sefton who died at HillsboroughAndrew Sefton who died at Hillsborough
Andrew Sefton who died at Hillsborough

Dylan said: “I cannot hear or see anything connected to Hillsborough without it taking me back to the event in April 1989. I saw almost a hundred people die before my eyes. I feel guilty to this day.”

Hillsborough: The Long Nightmare is aired at 9.30pm on S4C tonight.