HILLSBOROUGH Disaster victim Carl Brown will never be forgotten.

The spirit of the 18 year-old Liverpool supporter from Leigh - one of the 96 football fans who died as a result of the Sheffield tragedy 10 years ago on Thursday - carries on.

Lifelong pal Sean Hodgkiss, of Langdale Street, Leigh, grew-up with Carl, who lived in Windermere Road with elder brother, Mark and their mum and dad Delia and Terry.

"The best part of our lives we won't be able to spend together," said Sean, sadly, who with his brother, Mick, and mates Paul Aspey, Sean Turton and brothers Jason and Paul Cook laid a red and white wreath on Carl's well-tended grave.

And later they paid homage at Anfield.

The six, who 10 years ago carried their pal Carl on his last journey from Leigh Parish Church, spent Thursday commemorating the anniversary of that fateful soccer match.

In 1989 mourners, including The Reds' Scotland defender Steve Nicol, packed the church and St Mary's Way.

Sean, a fun-loving character who Leigh rugby fans will know as the club mascot 'Parky Pig', is a regular visitor to Carl's grave.

Every couple of weeks Sean sits by the graveside.

"I know it sounds daft but I just chat away as if he was with me. It's such a shame such a young lad lost his life. He won't ever be forgotten," said the BT engineer.

"We'll remember Carl with a minute's silence at Hilton Park on Sunday before the match with Keighley. I suppose 'Parky Pig' will be quiet for five minutes or so afterwards, then he'll go mad!"

Sean has penned four verses in memory of Carl, simply titled "My Best Friend".

As kids we played from morning 'til night

Playing in the streets and riding our bikes

It was back then our lives began

We always did have so much fun

When we were young we were always together

You will be with me for ever and ever

Then we grew older and years went by

We had nowhere near enough precious time

I hate to think of my saddest day

When you were tragically taken away

It's now 10 years we have been apart

You will always be within my heart

My memories of you will never end

I really wish I could make amends

And all the good times that we shared

I shared them all with My Best Friend

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.