The chairman of Bradford City at the time of the Valley Parade fire was linked to at least eight other blazes before the stadium disaster, a controversial new book claims.

Martin Fletcher, who survived the tragedy himself but lost three generations of his family in the fire, makes the claims in his book Fifty-six – The Story of the Bradford Fire, which is being serialised by a national newspaper.

Mr Fletcher’s brother Andrew, 11, was the youngest victim and his father John, 34, uncle Peter, 32, and grandfather Eddie, 63, all died in the blaze.

In the new book, which is being serialised by the Guardian, Mr Fletcher highlights at least eight other fires at business premises either owned by or connected to Stafford Heginbotham, Bradford City chairman at the time of the fire, which the writer says resulted in huge insurance claims.

Former sports minister Gerry Sutcliffe said the new allegations did not justify a new inquiry into the disaster.

Mr Sutcliffe, former MP for Bradford South and deputy leader of Bradford Council at the time of the tragedy, said he knew Mr Heginbotham "flew by the seat of his pants" in terms of the finances of the club, but remained convinced by the conclusion of the inquiry by high court judge Mr Justice Popplewell that the fire was an accident.

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Although Mr Fletcher does not make any direct allegations, he believes the claims should have been further investigated at the time.

He says his determination to look further into the disaster comes from his mother telling him when he was 12 that she did not believe the fire was an accident.

Mr Heginbotham died in 1995 aged 61.