Fresh inquests into the Hillsborough disaster start today

Today sees the start of the largest inquest England has ever seen. Andy Bonner reflects on the magnitude of the Hillsborough inquests.

I'm writing this ahead of one of the biggest court cases this country has ever seen.

The importance to the families of the 96 cannot be underestimated. It also gives a chance for other interested parties, like South Yorkshire Police and Sheffield Wednesday FC, to have their say.

Such is the scale and interest in these inquests that the hearing room itself will accommodate about 100 legal representatives and has seating for about 280 people. An annex holds around 100 seats.

Fom today, the sight of lawyers, witnesses, relatives and media will be as commonplace here as the sight of office workers.

The government has agreed to bear the costs of the new inquests. Exactly how much that is, I'm told, is still being calculated.

We have been advised the inquests will be heard until at least Christmas. In reality, we expect them to continue into 2015.

One of the country's top judges, Lord Justice John Goldring, was appointed assistant coroner specifically for these inquests. It will be his job, with the help of a jury, to discover what happened up to and during the tragic events of April 15th 1989.

However, it's important to point out this isn't a criminal court. There is no prosecution or defence: just a remit to answer four basic questions. Who died, where, when and how?

They may seem simple but it is those questions which will concern the inquests for the rest of the year.

They will be talking in length about stadium safety, the preparation for the semi-final and the experiences of each of the 96. They will be hearing from experts on policing and emergency care. And they will be viewing hundreds of minutes of video footage, photographs and other evidence from the time.

But first things first.

The process of selecting that all-important jury begins today.

They are trying to find up to 11 men and women who not only have no links to the disaster and the interested parties, but can also commit to an inquest which is likely to last for at least nine months

Follow ITV News Granada Reports coverage of the Hillsborough Inquests at itv.com/granada and on Twitter: #GR96 @AndyBonnerITV