The father of a Hillsborough victim who made legal history when he was allowed to die with dignity, has welcomed the first stage in a new probe into the disaster.

Allan Bland, whose 18-year-old son Tony was critically injured in the crush of football fans, hopes it will bring out new information about what happened on April 15 1989, at the beginning of the FA Cup semi-final between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest, at the Sheffield Wednesday ground.

The Bishop of Liverpool has been appointed as the chairman of a panel which will oversee the release of thousands of documents relating to the tragedy.

The Right Rev James Jones has now to appoint the other members of the Hillsborough Independent Panel, which will meet in Liverpool in the New Year.

The Hillsborough Family Support Group has been pressing for another investigation into how the 96 fans came to die.

Tony Bland, of Keighley, was 18 and a Liverpool supporter when he was crushed in the crowd. But it was four years and a history making legal decision in the High Court before Tony, by then 22, was allowed to die with dignity when his breathing tube was switched off at Airedale Hospital, in Steeton.

His father Allan said: “We are interested in the outcome of this new inquiry because the police do have some questions to answer.”

Earlier this year the Government announced thousands of documents held by the police, the Government and other agencies would be made public following claims some crucial information had never been released — something denied by South Yorkshire Police.

Mr Bland said he and his wife were not active members of the support group but were kept informed of what was happening.

Because of Tony’s condition, they had been involved in the right to die issues.

“It’s interesting that when we fought for the right to die for Tony we were told it would open the floodgates — but it hasn’t, there have only been 18 similar deaths,” said Mr Bland.

Support group chairman Margaret Aspinall said they saw the appointment of the Bishop “as a definite step forward in this lengthy process”.

The Bishop said: “The fact that 30,000 people came to Anfield for the Hillsborough 20th anniversary service shows how deep the wound is still and how great the longing is for healing.”

The Home Secretary, Alan Johnson, met family representatives in July to assure them papers would begin to be released as soon as possible.