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A cover version of the Hollies' hit He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother has been released to support families of the victims of the Hillsborough disaster.

Sir Paul McCartney, Robbie Williams, former Spice Girl Mel C and Gerry Marsden are among the line-up on the single for the Justice Collective.

The single is currently favourite to become the Christmas number one.

Proceeds will go towards legal costs in the families' continued fight to quash the accidental death inquest verdicts.

Ninety-six Liverpool supporters died after the crush at Sheffield Wednesday's Hillsborough stadium on 15 April 1989, when their team met Nottingham Forest in an FA Cup semi-final.

Among those at the launch of the charity single at Liverpool's HMV store were former Liverpool player and manager Kenny Dalglish and comedian John Bishop.

'Suffered enough'

Dalglish, Bishop and Liverpool Walton MP Steve Rotheram called on chancellor George Osbourne to waive the VAT on the single.

This has already been done for the X Factor winner James Arthur's single, the proceeds of which are also going to charity.

Dalglish said: "We are trying to get the same for the Hillsborough families. I think it's important that the government does that for us.

"Every penny that comes in is going to go towards helping with legal costs, and I think that will be substantial.

"I just hope it's getting near the end for the families because they have suffered long enough."

Mr Rotheram said he has written to the chancellor about the VAT issue but has yet to receive a formal response from him.

An application to overturn the inquest verdict was made by Attorney General Dominic Grieve and is due before the High Court on Wednesday.

Mr Grieve said the main basis for the move was new medical evidence made public in the Hillsborough Independent Panel report published in September.