Emotional Outbursts as Relatives Hear Hillsborough Conclusions

Tearful families leapt to their feet and cheered as the jury delivered the unlawful killing verdict in court.

The three men and six women of the jury had come in at 11.05am to silence and in the following 17 minutes delivered all that the families had hoped for, for the last 27 years. That was 14 nil,'' as one said.

As the unlawful killing verdict was given, relatives of the 96 could not contain themselves, jumping out of their seats and clapping, one shouting: Alleluia!''

Many of them sat slumped in their seats, dissolving into tears, others openly sobbing.

The stifled shouts of Yes'' had grown louder after each question as the jury's damning conclusions were delivered.

A dam of emotion burst when the answer came to question six and seven, that fans were unlawfully killed and were not to blame for the disaster.

Around 250 family members, 50 lawyers and just 10 media were allowed in the packed courtroom - with dozens more in an annexe in the court building with the hearing also screened live at two other locations, one in an office building on the same business park hosting the inquests, the other St George's Hall, in the heart of Liverpool.

Relatives, many much older and frailer, sat hunched over holding the 31-page questionnaire the jury had to answer.