CAMPAIGNERS have described the decision to charge six people in relation to the Hillsborough disaster as "the beginning of the end."

For almost 30 years, the families of the 96 men, women and children who were crushed to death at a Sheffield football stadium in 1989 have fought a tireless battle for justice.

In April last year, an inquest jury found that the victims, Liverpool fans intent on enjoying the carnival of an FA Cup semi-final, had been unlawfully killed.

Among them was Derrick Godwin, from Lechlade, who was aged just 24 at the time.

Giving evidence to the inquest, his mother, Margaret Godwin said: "He was a regular young man with his whole life in front of him. He was our only son. From the moment of his birth until his death, he gave us untold joy.

“Every day we think about him and what might have been."

Describing her last memories of Derrick, she said: "I clearly remember that on the morning of the semi-final, when he left home, his dad said to him, ‘I hope Liverpool win, Derrick’, to which he replied, ‘Oh, they will win, dad’.

“Little did we realise they would be the last words we would ever hear him say.”

On Wednesday, the families' quest for full accountability took another step towards a final conclusion.

The Crown Prosecution Service announced that six people will now face charges for their actions on that fateful day and in the weeks and months that followed.

They include the match commander, former Chief Superintendent David Duckenfield, and the former Chief Constable of South Yorkshire Police, Sir Norman Bettison.

Duckenfield has been charged with the manslaughter by gross negligence of 95 victims. The 96th, Anthony Bland, died from his injuries four years after the event and cannot be included in the indictment because of statutory time limits in place at the time.

Bettison is charged with four offences of misconduct in a public office.

Two other former officers have also been charged.

Donald Denton and Alan Foster are both accused of perverting the course of public justice relating to material changes made to witness statements.

Peter Metcalf, the solicitor acting for South Yorkshire Police during the Taylor Inquiry and the first inquests, faces the same charge.

Graham Mackrell, who was Sheffield Wednesday’s company secretary and safety officer at the time, is charged with two offences of contravening a term of condition of a safety certificate, and one offence of failing to take reasonable care for the health and safety of other persons.

The charging decisions came after the most detailed and comprehensive investigation of its kind ever conducted. Investigators pursued over 17,000 lines of inquiry and took statements from more than 11,000 people including police officers, spectators, emergency personnel and officials from different organisations.

The first court appearances are due to begin next month.