Hundreds of relatives of the 96 football fans killed in the Hillsborough disaster gathered yesterday in a packed courtroom for the start of the fresh inquests into their loved ones’ deaths.

Feelings ran high as the families, along with a raft of journalists and lawyers, came to the long-awaited hearing.

Vice-chairwoman of the Hillsborough Family Support Group Jenni Hicks said the inquest had been “a long time coming,” while Charlotte Hennessy who lost her father in the tragedy hoped it was “the beginning of the end.”

A potential jury of 11 along with a pool of extras was selected ready for tomorrow when they are due to be sworn in.

Sending the group home overnight, he told them: “There may be a great temptation for you to read articles which have been published or watch programmes which have taken place, or search for material about the disaster on internet or on social networking sites.

“My direction is simple, I repeat it, you must not.”