THE detective overseeing the criminal investigation into the events that led to the deaths of 96 Liverpool fans in the Hillsborough disaster has told a jury of the painstaking work investigators have carried out to identify victims.

The new inquest into Britain’s worst sporting disaster began on March 31 and resumed today, Tuesday, after a three week adjournment to allow legal teams to examine pathology evidence.

Proceedings began with evidence from Detective Superintendent Neil Malkin, senior investigation manager for Operation Resolve – the criminal investigation into the events on April 15, 1989 and the planning and preparation beforehand.

The court heard how the 191 officers working for Operation Resolve have search through 2,000 videos and 7,000 photographs to identify victims. This includes extensive footage from the BBC.

DS Malkin also said his team has looked at 500,000 documents and it has been “extremely beneficial” to speak to 1,500 people, including the families of those killed.

Friday will see the jury visit the Hillsborough stadium before the topic of stadium safety becomes the key focus for about a month.

The original verdicts of accidental death in 1991 were quashed in the High Court in 2012 after a long campaign by the Hillsborough families.

The fresh inquests are taking place at Birchwood Park in Warrington and are being heard by Court of Appeal judge Lord Justice Goldring, who has been made an assistant coroner for the purpose.