A SECOND family in Ellesmere Port have been told their loved one could have survived Hillsborough.

Like his friend James Delaney, James ‘Jimmy’ Hennessy was one of 41 of the 96 victims who could have been saved if the emergency services had done their job.

James Robert Hennessy had already experienced anguish in his 29 years.

When he was 21, his father Robert died. A year later he married and had a daughter, Charlotte. But after three years he was divorced.

After the break-up of his marriage, Jimmy went to live with his mother Margaret in Northern Rise, Great Sutton.

But he was starting a new chapter in his life – in the days before Hillsborough, he had given up a job as a plasterer for the council and planned to set up his own business as a decorator.

His sister Karen Gooding, 54, of Woodend Road, remembered: “He was undecided whether to go to the match or sell his ticket because he had a big job as an Artexer on the Monday.

“It was a pity he did go. I suppose that’s fate.”

Jimmy left home at 10.30am on April 15, 1989, to catch a bus to Sheffield with friends James Delaney and Brian Bickerstaff, watched by his mum Margaret near the Sutton Way Hotel.

All three attended Ellesmere Port Catholic High School.

The coach returned to the pub later that day – without Jimmy or James. They had both suffered fatal traumatic asphyxia in the crush.

PC Maltravers attempted resuscitation as Jimmy lay on the terraces behind the goal.

The officer’s collar number was written on James’s hand when his body was delivered to the gym and he was eventually identified as body number seven.

Karen identified her brother from behind a glass screen at 5pm the next day after being shown a photographer of the dead who remained unidentified.

“His face was so swollen and bruised I didn’t recognise him at first,” said Karen.

Karen and her son travelled to Liverpool’s Anglican cathedral to hear the Independent Hillsborough Panel reveal the findings of its report after trawling 40,000 documents over two years.

She said: “I did have an idea that police hadn’t recorded the facts as they were.

“We didn’t suspect the ambulance people had changed their statements and that 41 people, with proper care, could have been saved.”

Karen said she always suspected Jimmy had lived long enough to be saved by paramedics.

She added: “Knowing our Jimmy, he was a really fit person. You’d often see him running along the A41. He was addicted to running, so I had my suspicions.

“I helped police go through all the video evidence but once we got to 3.15pm, they wouldn’t let me see any more video evidence because they said it was too upsetting. it was obvious they didn’t want me to see stuff.”

Jimmy was pronounced dead at 4.09pm at the gymnasium next to the ground which was serving as a temporary mortuary.

Karen is now hopeful there will be another inquest into her brother’s death.

She said: “It wasn’t accidental death. I want it to be said that it wasn’t an accident.

“They should answer for what they’ve put the families through. They should be charged.”