HILLSBOROUGH - the very word still stops me in my tracks.

I wasn't there on April 15, 1989, but I remember where I was and how I felt as the news of the disaster trickled in.

As a newspaper reporter, I later spent time working on the aftermath and to this day, when I give talks about my journalistic career, people always want to know more about what happened and how we reported it.

One of the most unforgettable of assignments for me was going to London with mothers of deceased fans who were campaigning for a judicial review.

I shall never forget the determination of these awe-inspiring ladies.

One remarkable woman was the late Anne Williams.

She will now be portrayed in a new four-part drama for ITV which will detail her campaigning and her other brave fight with cancer.

I was the reporter who broke the story that the TV series Cracker would be using Hillsborough in one of its controversial episodes written by Jimmy McGovern.

This emotive storyline went on to inspire Jimmy and Granada to make the mould- breaking, multi-award-winning 1996 drama Hillsborough starring, amongst others, Ricky Tomlinson.

I was invited to the filming which took place in Manchester where a mock-up of the Hillsborough Stadium stood.

I was speechless as the cameras rolled and I saw actors portray excited Liverpool FC fans who were heading to the Leppings Lane tunnel for an FA Cup semi-final match with Nottingham Forest.

I believe the more we have books, documentaries and TV dramas about Hillsborough the better it is for the ongoing Justice for the 96 campaign.

Now I am pleased and encouraged to hear that there will be a new four-part drama written by Wirral's acclaimed Kevin Samson and Anne's daughter Sara.

Anne will be played by Maxine Peake.

I don't think anyone will ever capture this magnificent woman, but I applaud those who want to keep Hillsborough alive in the news and bring it to a wider audience and that one day we can finally raise up the half-mast Hillsborough justice flag that has been waving in the wind for so long.

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A CRIME ... a disease.

These are passionate words used to describe one scourge of society - fly tipping.

After reading the alarming Wirral Globe reports I asked some residents what they thought and they believe it must be a priority to stamp it out.

While communities across Wirral urge the Council and Government to safeguard our green belts we have morons making our beautiful land closer to home ugly with their blatant, couldn't-care-less, cowardly actions and attitudes.

Many have said we need more CCTV cameras and that since the Council have made a success of fining cigarette and litter scatterers the money should be ploughed into stopping any form of fly tipping or, as one lady put it, 'environmental mugging.' 

Sadly, we seem to need CCTV more than ever.

Last week I saw a few youths led by an incoherent head case who proudly stubbed out a cigarette on a commemorative bench in New Brighton.

When I asked him to stop and have respect for those who paid for the seat he told me to 'take a picture' before scarpering like a rat.

Like the morons who burned down the Vale Park mermaid, maybe catching these people on CCTV will go some way to bring these anti-social yobs to the court rooms.

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WHILE Donald Trump renders many speechless, we should not forget that there has been one Vice President who became a virtual stand-up comedy act for all the wrong reasons.

Republican Dan Quayle features in a book called Man Fail which highlights his foot-in-mouth observations.

Here's the top Desperate Dan-isms:

"It's not the pollution that's hurting the environment, it's the impurities in our air that are doing it." 

"Quite frankly, teachers are the only profession that teaches our children." 

"For NASA - space is still a high priority."

And, Theresa May take note: "Low voter turnout is an indication of fewer people going to the polls." 

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FAREWELL to two of our finest celebrities.

In a week when we celebrate 60 years of Carry On ... films, I was sad to hear about the passing of 90 year old Fenella Fielding - star of Carry on Screaming.

I first met her when she wafted into a dry cleaners in Chiswick when she was my neighbour and she entertained customers with a perfume- coated, one-woman show featuring that unforgettable, sexy husky voice.

And goodbye Dudley Sutton who played Tinker in Lovejoy.

I went on location to see the final episode and Dudley along with Chris Jury who played Eric and Iain McShane as Lovejoy.

They all regaled me with hilarious anecdotes.

They were all born-again teetotallers, but that was the fizziest, funniest time I can recall with such down-to-earth luvvies.

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And finally ...

The Inferno can announce the official start of the 'spider season.' 

These creatures get a bad press - yet did you know there’s even a 'happy face' spider?

For those who want to know more ... go on the web.

Peter Grant