The Queen has given her backing to a race-goer's campaign to honour the victims of the 1989 Hillsborough disaster at this Saturday's Grand National at Aintree.

Dave Hughes is encouraging fellow visitors to the race to wear red carnations to represent the 96 Liverpool fans who died in the tragedy.

The 75-year-old, who works as a lollipop man, has revealed that he received a letter from Her Majesty giving her support to his plans.

"I've had a lovely reply from Her Majesty which I couldn't believe," Hughes told the Daily Star. "I wrote to explain what we were doing.

"I thought it would probably just be dismissed because she must get so many letters, but then an envelope dropped through the letterbox with the royal stamp on and it was her wishing us well."

The 26th anniversary of the tragedy is on April 15.