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A new memorial banner was unveiled during the commemoration and the Hillsborough Family Support Group's Trevor Hicks was joined by the Lord Mayor of Liverpool, Councillor Steve Rotheram, in making an address.

The Freedom of the City honour was then presented to a representative of each family by Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher before the Mayor and Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez placed a scarf on the pitch and released 96 red balloons into the sky.

A two-minute silence was impeccably observed at 3:06pm in Liverpool, Nottingham and Sheffield while public transport across Merseyside also stopped to observe the period of remembrance.

At 3:08pm, the bells of Liverpool's two cathedrals and civic buildings rang out 96 times and a candle was lit in memory of each individual fan. The service concluded with a performance of 'You'll Never Walk Alone' by Gerry Marsden.

Later, Cllr Rotheram presented individual scrolls to members of the 96 families before letters of support from the Queen and Prime Minister are read.

A Hillsborough remembrance book is available to sign at Liverpool Town Hall until Thursday.