A MAN who treated victims of the Bradford City Fire and set up a pioneering research unit following the disaster was remembered at the club’s latest match.

Bradford surgeon Professor David Sharpe OBE led the surgical response to the fire disaster on May 11, 1985, where 56 people lost their lives and more than 258 were injured.

He helped treat 25 burns victims in the immediate aftermath of the tragedy at Valley Parade and he and his team operated on more than 20 people in the first few hours.

 

Prof Sharpe, who died last month aged 77, was remembered with a minute’s applause before Bradford City’s 3-2 win over Grimsby Town at Valley Parade on Saturday, April 1.

City tweeted pictures of its squad taking part in the minute’s applause on the pitch alongside City coaching staff and fans in the stands. The club tweeted: “Your incredible legacy will be here forever, David.”

After the fire, he then founded the Plastic Surgery and Burns Research Unit (PSBRU) at the University of Bradford, making the city a pioneer in the field of plastic surgery.

Following his retirement, Prof Sharpe was thanked by the Bantams faithful at their last home game of the 2013/14 season, against Crawley Town.