MH17: One year on

Sid Nott, a friend of Liam Sweeney's, has paid tribute to him and John Alder, the two victims of the MH17 disaster who came from the North East.

He said: "We're just trying to keep their memory going today and raise some money for Liam's charities. It's just another chance to unify everybody and take in his memory."

Members of the public have laid flowers at a memorial garden at the Newcastle United ground in memory of John Alder from Gateshead and Liam Sweeney from Newcastle, who died in the MH17 crash a year ago.

Both were fans of Newcastle United, and were on their way to a pre-season tour in New Zealand when their plane came down in Ukraine.

Staff at a supermarket on Tyneside, where MH17 victim Liam Sweeney used to work, have been remembering him and his friend John Alder on the first anniversary of the tragedy.

Staff at Morrisons in Killingworth, are hosting fundraising events today in Liam's memory.

Before today they had already raised over £6,000 in his memory.

They have donated that to the Marie Curie Hospice's Pay for a Day initiative.

It will pay for a hospice's running costs for one day.

The Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond has said "justice must be delivered" as the anniversary of the MH17 disaster which killed 298 people was marked.

Newcastle Utd fans John Alder and Liam Sweeney were among ten Britons who were on the Malaysia Airlines flight from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur flight when it was brought down by a missile over Ukraine a year ago.

Friends and the families of two football superfans who died in the MH17 disaster will gather at the stadium where they spent some of their happiest times.

John Alder, 63, and Liam Sweeney, 28, were friends who were travelling to New Zealand to watch their much loved team play in a pre-season tour when they were killed one year ago.

The club built a memorial outside St James' Park for the fans whose memories have been kept alive by fans applauding in the 17th minute of every game.

Liam's father Barry travelled to Holland this week to meet other bereaved families.

Mr Alder's family will also be at the memorial. He had had missed one Newcastle match in 40 years and was the first to person buy a Platinum Club membership at the stadium.

An anonymous friend has pledged £5,000 to the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation to take over the bond which gives fans enhanced membership.

Sir Bobby's widow Lady Elsie joined her at John's seat in St James' Park ahead of the memorial, and said: "It's impossible to understand what John and Liam's family and friends have been through in the past year."