A LOCAL MP played a key part in the talks that led to the imminent release of secret Hillsborough tragedy files.

Dave Watts, MP for St Helens North, had joined fellow MPs and victims’ relatives in recent weeks for meetings with Home Secretary Alan Johnson in London.

After another meeting on Tuesday, July 29, Mr Johnson promised Hillsborough families that the documents would be fully disclosed within two months, giving them the opportunity to view the papers before April 2010.

A number of Reds fans from St Helens were in the Leppings Lane end of the stadium for the semi-final game. David Hawley, who was 39, was killed in the tragedy. The dad-of-three had gone to the game with his nephew.

Mr Watts revealed that the previously unseen documents will now be moved to a location in Liverpool, in a building such as a museum or art gallery, where they will be catalogued before being released to the victims’ relatives.

There are now more than 20,000 documents - including Cabinet, police and fire service files - that will need to be put into some kind of order before release, enabling families to view the pages they require.

Mr Watts said: “It’s going to be a massive job to trawl through all the documents.”

Mr Watts also revealed to the Star that he has personal connections to the tragedy as close friends attended the game.

He explained that it will be the decision of the families whether all the documents will be released to the public after they have viewed them as they contain information about the death of their loved ones.

The release of the documents could lead to a full-scale inquiry in to the disaster if new information comes to light.

However, Mr Watts doesn’t believe that this will be the case.

He said: “There has already been two public inquiries. The families don’t want it.”