Hillsborough trials will be held at Preston court

The trials of six men in connection with the Hillsborough disaster will be held 35 miles from Liverpool instead of in London, a court has ruled.

Sir Norman Bettison, 61, Donald Denton, 79, Alan Foster, 70, Graham Mackrell, 67, and Peter Metcalf, 67, will be tried at Preston Crown Court, Mr Justice William Davis ruled. David Duckenfield, 72, will not be formally charged or appear in court until an application to lift a stay on prosecution at the High Court has been heard.

The ruling was made at the court yesterday. No pleas were entered but all have previously indicated, through lawyers, that they will plead not guilty.