A LIFELONG Bradford City fan has started a campaign to record a new version of You'll Never Walk Alone as the city prepares to mark the 30th anniversary of the Valley Parade disaster.

Lloyd Spencer has already had support from pop star Gareth Gates, Pop Idol contestant Danny Tetley and Black Lace singer Dene Michael, plus local musicians and fans.

He hopes to repeat the success of 1985 when a charity version of the anthem was recorded in the wake of the fire which killed 56 people.

"It's a famous football song and it raised money back then and it's tied to Bradford because of that.

"I think because it's the anniversary, it would follow on from that. I just think that anything that can be done to raise money should be," said Mr Spencer, who runs The Northern pub in Halifax Road.

The 57-year-old said a throwaway comment, followed by a Facebook post, had captured people's imaginations and quickly gathered momentum.

"I was talking to friends about the single and it was one of them things and I said, 'we should do that', and now it's taken a life of its own," he said.

"It's just snowballed a little bit and had a lot more support than I imagined. We've had Danny Tetley and Gareth Gates and Dene Michael from Black Lace say they'd be up for raising money for this year," he said.

"I thought about three people would be interested and instead, we've had loads who want to get involved."

Mr Spencer, who has backed the Bantams since he was six, has also got the support of friend and record producer Tim Walker, who runs Voltage Studios off Manchester Road.

Mr Walker said he was not particularly a football fan, but was a huge supporter of Bradford and thought a new recording was a good idea.

The aim is to record over a couple of days in the studio, but also get permission from Bradford City to tape fans singing in the ground. The single would be released in May to raise money for The Bradford Burns Unit.

Mr Spencer, who admits he has a terrible singing voice, and others helping him are also trying to contact Gerry Marsden, of Gerry and The Pacemakers, who recorded the original song and the re-release in 1985.

Mike Thompson, the chairman of the Bradford City Supporters' Trust, said: "From the supporters' point of view, if he's able to get something like this moving, I'm sure it's something we'd very much welcome.

"It's very important that whatever happens in the run up to the 30th anniversary, things are done in the right way and reverting back to You'll Never Walk Alone, which was used to promote the fundraising at the time as well, is something we should support."

The city always commemorates the anniversary of the May 11 tragedy, which also left hundreds of people with severe burns after a blaze ripped through a wooden stand, but this year's anniversary is particularly poignant.

A fundraising target of £300,000 has been set for the burns research unit at the University of Bradford and the Football League and the Premier League are marking the occasion with a minute's silence before games on April 25.

Anyone who wants to help Mr Spencer, can e-mail him at lloydspencer@virginmedia.com or call 01274 415864.