Youngsters from across Europe took part in a memorial tournament to mark the 20th anniversary of the Bradford City fire disaster.

Around 700 young footballers from Bradford, Lincoln, Holland, Germany and Ireland took part in the Valley Parade Memorial Tournament over the Easter weekend.

The annual tournament is held as a 'living memorial' to the 56 supporters who were killed in the fire in the main stand at the ground on Saturday, May 11, 1985.

Its founder Howell Williams, the former chief recreation officer at Bradford Council, travelled from Northampton-shire to watch the tournament.

Now retired, Mr Williams said: "A lot of children died in the fire - it wasn't just adults - and I suggested that instead of a plaque on the wall we wanted to have something living."

Mr Williams had been working at the match with his 15-year-old son and said he remembered vividly running back to the stand to try to find him when the fire broke out.

The memories are just as clear for the current organiser Carl Dalton, the community play and activities development manager for the Council.

The lifelong Bradford City fan was just 17 at the time.

He said: "I can remember people were talking about a fire in the stands.

"Thirty seconds later there was a big fire and a couple of minutes later the stand was completely engulfed.

"When you looked back there was just this wall of smoke, and the heat was awful.

"Even from the other side of the pitch you could feel the heat."

Mr Dalton managed to get onto the pitch unharmed.

"Everybody knows someone who was in the fire or who lost people in it or who were affected by it," he said.

"The tournament is a positive way to commemorate those who perished in the fire."

The Lord Mayor of Bradford Councillor Irene Ellison-Wood and Bradford City stars Danny Forrest and Wayne Jacobs presented medals to the winning teams.

The tournament took place at the Marley activities and coaching centre in Keighley yesterday and Saturday.