Gate-Crashers Blamed

Chronicle (Levin), 12 March 1946, Page 5

Gate-Crashers Blamed

Ptess As'sn.-

GREATER CONTROL LIKELY

By Telegraph

- Copyright

-RecOived Monday, 8x15 p.m. LONDON, March 11. New Hohie Office instructions to the police to tighten coiitrol on the increasing croWds attbfiding open- air sports meetings are likely to follow the Bolton disaster, says the Daily Mail. It ig expected that admission to all big matches wiil in future be by ticket. Botfi club officials and the police contefid that the thousands who hrokenntd the back of the Burden Park gfoijnd were responsible for the disaster. The police yesterday made a complete survey of the section of the ground where the jiragecly occurred. Photographers took shots oi the damaged barriers and broken fences through which the cro wd i'orced an entrance. A railway official stated: "At one time so many people were on the railway line that traihs were held up. Other trains were delayed because the signal wires and points were damaged." Experts who inspected . the damaged barriers opined that they were firm and would have stood if the crowd had been nornial. Most of those killed were crushed to death against the barriers uefore the steel posts gave way. One of the first doctors to reach the scene said the fac-es of niost of the victims bore the niarks of hobnailed boots with which they iiad been tfdmpled. They were cOvered With dirt and their clothing was badly toru. The Press Association says oue of the strangest fbatures of the tragedy was the relatively sniall nuinber of persons seriouSIy injured. Although 33 were killed and 500 minor injuries were treated on the ground, only three are still in hospital, and they are expected to be discharged shortly. The l*st oi the victims was identified yesterday ai'ternoon. The Daily Telegraph' s political correspondent says the Government wiil be auestioned in the House of Commons 011 the Bolton disaster, and a stateiuent may be made tomorrow. The Government 's reply to pressure for more stringent application of the regulations is likely to be that all necessary precautions are taken when sufficient police reserves are available. Tfie victims included a father and son, a brother ' and sister, and twb brothers. Boltofi police headquarters received hundreds of inquiries from veiatives all da3T. There were speciai prayers for the victims in all the Boitun churches. A formai inquest wiil be opened today. APPEALS TO POLICE FOR HELP Bveii before the oup tie startec^ 3pccrator.3iCoL.ld .3 hbari acreaming to cne police for help as the barriers col- , Lapsed under the pressure exerted from behind, says the Sunday Dispatch.-* It was some time before the officials eould comprehend the enormity of the disaster, and most of the spectators had no idea that men were fighting for their lxves. Although the turnstile figures were I about 65,000, it is estimated that more j than 70,000 got into the ground. One ! stand capable of holding 4000 people ! was empty because it had been requisitioned by the Ministry of Supply, but after the disaster it was opened to the spectators. The Sunda'y Pictorial declares that rhe nation 's conscience wiil be shocked 1 by the news that tlie Cup tie continued J while 33 lay dead and hundreds mangled, but the paper explains that j tlie referee took his decision at the j Chief Constable's request. The rCferee! did not tell the teams about the deaths, 1 but a man stopped some players 011 j tiieiy way to the field and said, "It is ! a crime for you to carry on." There was the usiial Cup tie cheering i and excitement when play was resumed, j The crowd roared while Stretchers car- j ried ofi dead. j Another small wall collapsed before j the game ended and dozens were thrown on the grqitnd, but no one was burt. j The previbus -wbrst'-'football''disastGav..: occurred at Ibrox - Park, Glasgow, in 1902, when 25 were killed.