Echo: They will never walk alone for 96 miles

A mile for each fan lost at Hillsborough will be walked in a cross country charity trek in their memory.

A group of Reds fans will walk 96 miles from the Hillsborough stadium in Sheffield to raise funds for the fight for justice.

They will be joined by former Reds stars Neil Mellor and Dominic Matteo for parts of the walk which will take in nine football grounds.

Rugby League coach Bobbie Goulding and his two sons Bobbie Junior and Bradley will also be taking part.

Reds Rose Walkers is led by IT expert Mike Wilson, 47, from Halifax who came up with the idea after the release of the Hillsborough Independent Panel report last month.

Linked to the walk is the release of a charity '96th Son' by London singer songwriter Sarah Milne, which is being released on Monday.

All proceeds from the sales of the single will go towards the Red Rose Walkers efforts - which will be split evenly between the Hillsborough Family Support Group and the Hillsborough Justice Campaign.

Mike said: "I was at the Leppings Lane myself. For me what came out was the proof rather than the truth, because we knew the truth already."

The distance between Hillsborough and Anfield is 70 miles, so the group decided to call past the football grounds of seven other teams on their way - Huddersfield Town, Oldham Athletic, Manchester City, Bury, Bolton, Wigan and Everton - to make up the additional 26 miles. The walk will start at 7.30am on Friday, December 14 and arrive at Anfield at noon before the Reds' home game against Aston Villa.

Joining Mike are: Cherie Brewster, 49, of Stockton-On-Tees, Beth O'Shaughnessy, 24, of Dudley, Stuart Wilson, 21, of Wirral, John Coleman, 48 of Warrington, Bev Ashwell, 49, of Leicester, Gary Paterson 34, of Swindon, and Richard Fitzgerald, 23, of Wirral.

The walk has been split into 16, six mile stages. Each of the eight will walk four stages.

Mike's children Josh, 17, and Katie, 15, will also be doing 12 miles each when they join the walk at Wigan on Saturday morning.

And Mike's 81-year-old dad Dave from Tattenhall, Cheshire, will be joining for the last stage to lay some flowers at the Hillsborough Memorial.

For information on donating visit: http://www.fromthekop.com

Source: Liverpool Echo