Survivor's new claims about 'coincidence' of Bradford City fire

Video report by ITV News Sport Editor Steve Scott

A former Sports Minister has said new claims surrounding the Bradford City fire which claimed 56 lives in 1985 do not justify a new inquiry.

A new book claims the fire at Valley Parade was just one of at least nine fires at businesses owned by or associated with the club's then chairman Stafford Heginbotham, who died in 1995.

Gerry Sutcliffe, MP for Bradford South and deputy leader of Bradford City council at the time of the tragedy, says he knew Heginbotham "flew by the seat of his pants" in terms of the finances of the club but remains convinced by the conclusion of the inquiry at the time by high court judge Mr Justice Popplewell that the fire was an accident.

The new allegations are contained in the book Fifty-Six - The Story of the Bradford Fire.

The author, Martin Fletcher, was 12 when he escaped from the disaster with his life but lost three generations of his family; his father, grandfather and younger brother.

The book, published on Thursday and being serialised in The Guardian, does not make any direct allegations but Fletcher says Heginbotham's history with fires, which he claims resulted in payouts totalling around £27 million in today's terms, warranted further investigation.

"Could any man really be as unlucky as Heginbotham had been?" he asks.

West Yorkshire Police said the force would consider any new evidence about the fire.Detective Superintendent Mark Ridley, of the Homicide and Major Enquiry Team, said: "The jury at the inquest in 1985 delivered a verdict of misadventure."However should any evidence come to light which was not available to Her Majesty's Coroner at the original inquest, then we will consider its significance and take appropriate action."