The Taylor report was welcomed in Liverpool yesterday as a vindication of how the city's football supporters behaved on the day of the tragedy.

Miss Elizabeth Steel, chairman of the Hillsborough solicitors' steering committee, said: ``They will be very happy with the report. It is clear, unequivocal and cuts through any problematical evidence.''

The committee, representing 150 solicitors' firms and about 700 clients, believes that criminal charges might be brought against the police with claims for damages reaching Pounds 30 million. Miss Steel said that the report was a shameful reflection on the way police had given evidence.

``We have had a public inquiry conducted by a Lord Justice of Appeal and some of the officers were evasive, defensive and equivocal. They failed to deal with the matter simply and in the straightforward manner that we would expect.'' Many clients wanted those responsible prosecuted if criminal offences had been committed. ``That is a matter for the Director of Public Prosecutions and not for us,'' Miss Steel said.

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• Names of the supporters who died are released

• Liverpool welcomes vindication of fans' behaviour

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``I have no doubt that he will be looking at this report and the evidence or findings which come from the inquest very carefully, particularly following the Zeebrugge prosecutions, to see whether any individual or company acted with the necessary recklessness to satisfy the criteria for taking a manslaughter prosecution.'' She said: ``Our clients have been very critical of the police both on lack of control and failure to appreciate clearly what was going on.''

She said that evidence had been given at the hearing that sought to exonerate the police and put the blame on the supporters, but the report substantially supported what the committee had been told from the outset: that people had come to turnstiles that were badly policed and were led into overcrowded pens. ``We would say it leaves the club and the police with no defence. It is a question of whether they agree with us on the basis of the facts found in the report or whether they prefer to let the matter go through to a full civil hearing,'' Miss Steel said.

It was in the insurers' hands if they wanted to reduce the suffering of those seeking compensation, she said. Some claims were relatively small, others extremely high where brain-damaged people would need continual care. She also suspected that there were many who might have a valid claim but who had not yet sought legal advice.

Mr Robert Gill, secretary of the Liverpool Supporters' Club, said that the inquiry had only confirmed what Liverpool supporters already knew. ``Now the real truth is out and has been officially recognized by the inquiry, certain people will admit they were wrong to blame Liverpool supporters,'' he said. ``Hopefully now Liverpool fans will be officially recognized as the heroes of the day because they saved so many lives.''

The father whose two teenage daughters died in the crush said that Mr Peter Wright, the Chief Constable of South Yorkshire, should resign. Mr Trevor Hicks, aged 42, said that the Chief Constable had gone on the record after the disaster to say that he took full responsibility.``I do not see how he has any other alternative (than to resign).''

Mr Hicks, of White Craig Close, Pinner, Middlesex, was on the Leppings Lane terraces with his daughters Sarah, aged 19, and Victoria, aged 15. His wife, Jenny, aged 41, was in a seat in the North stand. He said that the report was thorough, fair and fairly well balanced. But it was only an interim report. ``We would not like people to think that this is the end of it.''