A PUBLISHER and author will not say whether any proceeds from a controversial new book about the Valley Parade fire will go to the Bradford Burns Research Unit.

Martin Fletcher’s Fifty-Six – The Story of the Bradford Fire suggests the blaze might not have been an accident and claims the then club chairman, Stafford Heginbotham, owned or was connected with business premises which were involved in eight other fires resulting in insurance payouts. There has been much condemnation of the book – and some support – ahead of its publication date of tomorrow.

The Telegraph & Argus has asked whether proceeds from sales of the book will go to the Plastic Surgery and Burns Research Unit (PSBRU) at the University of Bradford, which was set up after in the aftermath of the tragedy. A spokesman for the publisher said: “As standard practice, Bloomsbury does not comment publicly on the private financial details of authors.”

He added that an article in the Guardian, which serialised Mr Fletcher’s book, stated: “Fletcher has lost around £250,000 in earnings from sacrificing his career as a chartered accountant. He is also one of the more prominent fundraisers for the Bradford Burns Unit.”