Hillsborough Inquests: Fan says disaster 'didn't seem real'

Martin Wild was 29 and travelled to the match with three other fans

A Liverpool supporter who saw a fellow fan "turning blue" in the Hillsborough stadium crush said he "didn't think what was happening was real".

Andrew Kirby told the new inquests into the disaster that he tried to speak to Martin Wild, 29, who was fatally injured, but could get no response.

The jury, sitting in Warrington, has been told no living relatives of Mr Wild have been traced

Ninety-six Liverpool fans died after the disaster on 15 April 1989.

The crush took place during the FA Cup semi-final between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest at Sheffield Wednesday's stadium.

Colin Wafer was one of the fans carried across the Hillsborough pitch on a makeshift stretcher

Mr Kirby and the other two fans went into pen three - a fenced enclosure on the Leppings Lane terraces - where the pressure inside was "continuous", Mr Kirby told the court.

He said Mr Wild was "three feet to his left" and began to look "not comfortable".

In a statement written in 1989, Mr Kirby described seeing Mr Wild's face "turning blue and that he was obviously in difficulty".

After the pressure subsided, Mr Kirby said he went over towards where he had seen Mr Wild and found him lying among other casualties.

"He was lifeless," Mr Kirby told the court.

He said he did not check for a pulse or for signs of breathing. "I was scared myself. You know, I didn't know what were going off. I didn't think what was happening was real."

Mr Wild was carried out of the pen and into a concourse area at the back of the West Stand.

The jury has already heard from two police officers who may have tried to resuscitate him.

The inquests in Warrington, Cheshire, were told that Liverpool fan Steven Edwards had helped to carry Colin Wafer, 19, who was among the fans who died, across the pitch.

Part of his statement written in 1989 was read to the court.

Mr Edwards described seeing two St John Ambulance medics trying to revive Mr Wafer but without success.

He then offered to help carry the 19-year-old on a makeshift stretcher.

96 Liverpool fans died due to the crush on 15 April 1989

He and the other stretcher bearers then asked police officers about where they could take Mr Wafer.

Mr Edwards wrote: "I said: 'He's dead, the St John Ambulance have already tried.' But the policeman said abruptly: 'Put him down, we know what we're doing'.

"I said: 'We just need to know where to take him, he's dead.' The policeman snapped: 'Put him down' and we did."

The inquests in Warrington, Cheshire, will continue on Wednesday.

Who were the 96 victims?

BBC News: Profiles of all those who died