New evidence

1. Both investigations gathered a wealth of new evidence. As well as taking witness statements from thousands of those who had been at the match—including police officers, supporters, media, SWFC staff and volunteers—the investigations recovered documents that were assumed to have been lost or destroyed. This included more than 8,000 pocket notebooks belonging to SYP officers and the policy books of the officer that led the WMP investigation, providing a major insight into the way WMP conducted its work. In addition, video material from the day was obtained from various sources, and recordings of radio messages and communications between the PCB and the Force Control Room (made using a system manufactured by Racal) were secured and examined.
    
2. Both investigations also: 
    
   • used witness appeals to attempt to reach people who had not previously given their account
   • conducted searches of key locations that resulted in new evidence being found
   • applied to the courts to gain access to video material that had not previously been provided
   • made use of the evidence of expert witnesses in specific topics. Some of these were appointed by the investigations—for example, a health and safety inspector from the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) was seconded to work as part of the Operation Resolve team—while others were instructed as expert witnesses to the Goldring Inquests
      
3. Despite this comprehensive approach, there remain some gaps in the information related to the disaster. 
    
   • Some potentially significant documents have not been found, such as minutes of debriefs of previous matches at Hillsborough Stadium; others have been damaged and are no longer fully legible.
   • Some material has, wholly legitimately, been destroyed or disposed of over time.
   • Some witnesses, who may have been able to provide additional insight, could not be interviewed. In part, this is because the investigations began more than 23 years after the disaster; some witnesses had died, while others were in poor health.
   • This length of time also meant that many individuals could not recall all matters accurately or in detail.
   • A small number of potential witnesses declined to engage with the investigations, as is their right; some of these explained that they had already given one or more accounts and had nothing further to add.
      
4. Nonetheless, the two investigations had access to more material about the disaster and its aftermath than any previous investigation or inquiry. 

The vast quantity of new material gathered by the investigations has been assessed and, where appropriate and where the original owners give their consent, will be transferred to The National Archives for long-term preservation.