Adonis Storr’s report about the tragedy which killed 56 spectators and injured over 250 others at Valley Parade in 1985 was named Best Radio News Report at the Broadcast Journalism Training Council (BJTC) Awards last week. 

Judges praised the strong storytelling, use of music, and moving quotes in the report, which featured interviews with several people who witnessed the devastating scenes including ex-Bradford player John Hawley, former football commentator John Helm, and supporters. 

Adonis, who will soon graduate from the University’s MA Journalism programme, originally set out to create a short news bulletin about the anniversary for a university assignment, however, after interviewing witnesses and survivors he decided to produce the extended report as a personal project having felt their stories “deserved more time”. 

Adonis explained: “Every person I spoke to still carries the emotional wounds made four decades ago, so it was important to me to honour and acknowledge those who lost their lives, as well as the trauma of the witnesses. I tried as much as possible to get out the way of the story and amplify the voices of the people who were there. I put many, many hours into this project, so I am absolutely delighted to have been recognised for my work. 

“I wanted to share their personal accounts with the care required,” Adonis added. “This story will always be about Bradford: the city, the football club, the 56 who died, the 200 more who were badly burned, the witnesses in their thousands at the game, and the millions watching on television. No one should go to a football match and never come home, and the 56 will never be forgotten.” 

Adonis said the storytelling techniques he developed on the University’s MA Journalism programme helped him produce the award-winning radio report. 

He said: “A report produced my lecturer, Andrew Glover, about the Lockerbie bombing and his insistence on straight reporting were massive influences on me when producing the report. I learned so much from all my lecturers – they are all media professionals themselves, and their first-hand knowledge was invaluable.” 

Andrew Glover, MA Journalism Course Leader at Leeds Trinity University, said: “Adonis put the hard yards into this project. His research and approaches to key individuals had to be sensitive and measured and I am delighted that it all came together. He let those involved tell the story themselves and that very often is the most effective way of storytelling.” 

Leeds Trinity’s Journalism provision has been ranked number one in the UK for two successive years in the Guardian University Guide. 

For more information about courses available in the University’s Centre for Journalism, visit the website.