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| Hillsborough disaster: Police horse 'fell to its knees' | |
| (about 7 hours later) | |
| A police horse fell to its knees because of the force of the crowd outside the Hillsborough stadium, the inquests into the 1989 tragedy heard. | A police horse fell to its knees because of the force of the crowd outside the Hillsborough stadium, the inquests into the 1989 tragedy heard. |
| Steven Thomas, the first mounted officer to give evidence, said supporters outside the Leppings Lane turnstiles were "packed like sardines". | Steven Thomas, the first mounted officer to give evidence, said supporters outside the Leppings Lane turnstiles were "packed like sardines". |
| They "swarmed" around his horse Sandhurst and his colleagues. | They "swarmed" around his horse Sandhurst and his colleagues. |
| Ninety-six fans died following a crush during the Liverpool v Nottingham Forest FA Cup Semi-Final in Sheffield. | Ninety-six fans died following a crush during the Liverpool v Nottingham Forest FA Cup Semi-Final in Sheffield. |
| Mr Thomas, a retired sergeant, added: "The people were just coming around the horse. | Mr Thomas, a retired sergeant, added: "The people were just coming around the horse. |
| "They were disregarding the horse - trying to get to the back in the throng of people." | "They were disregarding the horse - trying to get to the back in the throng of people." |
| He added: "If you asked them to stop pushing, they totally ignored you as though they disregarded your presence." | He added: "If you asked them to stop pushing, they totally ignored you as though they disregarded your presence." |
| He estimated that police lost control outside the stadium between 14:15 and 14:30 when fans who were on a special train from Liverpool arrived in Leppings Lane. | He estimated that police lost control outside the stadium between 14:15 and 14:30 when fans who were on a special train from Liverpool arrived in Leppings Lane. |
| Who were the 96 victims? | Who were the 96 victims? |
| BBC News: Profiles of all those who died | BBC News: Profiles of all those who died |
| Mr Thomas said he cried out "emergency, emergency"' into his radio to try to raise someone in the control room. | Mr Thomas said he cried out "emergency, emergency"' into his radio to try to raise someone in the control room. |
| He said he was trying to get through for five minutes, or "probably longer". | He said he was trying to get through for five minutes, or "probably longer". |
| He and other mounted officers tried to form a cordon across a set of gates between Leppings Lane and the turnstiles. | He and other mounted officers tried to form a cordon across a set of gates between Leppings Lane and the turnstiles. |
| "At one stage there was that much pressure from the left hand side that the horse got pushed to its right and the blue gates just sprang open. | "At one stage there was that much pressure from the left hand side that the horse got pushed to its right and the blue gates just sprang open. |
| "The horse fell down or went down on to its knees," he said. | "The horse fell down or went down on to its knees," he said. |
| The inquests, in Warrington, continue. | The inquests, in Warrington, continue. |
| Clarification 19 September: In evidence given later on Thursday, a second mounted officer, Keith Wilkinson, denied changing his statements to include more references to fans drinking. | Clarification 19 September: In evidence given later on Thursday, a second mounted officer, Keith Wilkinson, denied changing his statements to include more references to fans drinking. |