Prime Minister Gordon Brown has praised Liverpool fans at the Hillsborough Stadium disaster who tried to save the lives of fellow supporters on the Leppings Lane terrace.

The 20th anniversary of the Hillsborough Stadium disaster is on Wednesday April 15.

Brown told Liverpool's official website, "People will never forget that day; it's etched on our memories. I remember just hearing half hour by half hour the news as it came across from the Hillsborough stadium. It was then that I started to realise what a major disaster that this was.

"I also remember how the Liverpool fans helped each other, coming to the aid of people who were in difficulty and trying to rescue fellow fans - both young and old. I don't think we can ever forget the 96 people who died.

He continued, "I think that the families, in trying to cope with this disaster, have had the support of all decent minded people across the country. I think that's probably what matters most: that people understood that the behaviour of Liverpool fans in helping each other was, as I think the judge said, 'Magnificent'; that it was wrong for people to blame, as some did, Liverpool fans on that day and it's right that the Freedom of the City has been given to the families of Liverpool fans on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of this disaster."

He concluded by saying, "I feel the best thing we can do is say that the memories of these fans who died will always be in our minds, that the country understands the difficulties that people have gone through and that there is huge public support and affection for the families that have had to suffer so much.

"Let's never forget the fans that cruelly lost their lives on a day when we know the people of Liverpool were trying, if they were in that ground, to help each other and that's the spirit of Liverpool."