The judge who led the inquiry into the Bradford City stadium fire has rubbished fresh claims that it could have been started deliberately by former chairman Stafford Heginbotham.

A new book, which is being serialised by The Guardian, by Martin Fletcher has claimed that the 1985 fire, which killed 56 people, was one of nine blazes that occurred at businesses owned or linked to Heginbotham.

Fletcher has alleged that the then-chairman, who passed away in 1995, was struggling with financial problems during the time of the fire.

However, retired judge Sir Oliver Popplewell has stood by his verdict that the blaze was an accident because the stand in question at Valley Parade had no insurance value and was due for demolition.

"I'm sorry to spoil what is obviously a very good story, I'm afraid is nonsense for many reasons," Popplewell told BBC Radio Leeds.

"I don't think it's going to affect what we decided but I think it is important from a public point of view that the police look at the other fires and see if there was anything sinister."

Fletcher lost his father, younger brother, uncle and grandfather in the fire.