A football fan who survived the Hillsborough disaster as a teenager has written a book about his experiences - and is appealing to find the man he believes saved his life.

Graeme Banfield was just 13 when he watched the FA Cup semi-final between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest at Hillsborough on April 15, 1989.

Now living on the Isle of Man, he has self-published a book titled ‘The Boy Over The Wall’, reflecting on the disaster and its long-term impact.

But more than three decades on, he says he still hopes to track down the stranger who guided him and his brother Paul to safety.

Speaking to the Mirror, Graeme said: ‘Without this man there would have been 99 dead that day. He saved our lives.

‘I know it’s 37 years on but I’d really like to find him to say “thank you” and buy him a pint.

‘I’d like to say thank you for taking us under your wing and looking after us - even though we were strangers a couple of hours before.’

The Hillsborough disaster claimed the lives of 97 Liverpool supporters and left hundreds more injured in one of the worst tragedies in British sporting history.

Graeme and his 16-year-old brother had travelled to the match with a family friend but were taken into the Leppings Lane end by the mystery man.

He believes the individual, possibly a Sheffield supporter in his early 20s at the time, recognised the danger developing in the central pens and insisted they move.

Graeme recalled: ‘He said, “Come on, we’re not watching it here.”

‘I didn’t want to go anywhere - this was right behind the goal where all the songs started - but he told us to move and we followed him.’

They left the crowded central area shortly before a gate was opened to ease congestion outside, which led to a fatal crush as more supporters were directed into already full pens.

Graeme said: ‘There is no doubt he saved my life. I’ve always thought about him and I would love to find him.’

The book also explores the emotional aftermath of the disaster, which Graeme said affected him for decades.

He said: ‘Everything in my life started going downhill on April 15, 1989. Hillsborough changed my life forever.

‘I couldn’t talk about what happened for years, but eventually I went into counselling and was asked to write things down. That’s how the book came about.’

He added: ‘Once I started writing it, I just couldn’t stop. I’d never spoken about these things before and writing it all down really did help.’

The title refers to now well-known footage captured on the day and broadcast on TV, showing a young boy being lifted over a wall to safety - that boy being Graeme.

Originally from Liverpool, he moved to the Isle of Man in the late 1990s and has lived in Douglas ever since.

He said he hopes sharing his story will encourage others to speak about trauma and, if possible, help him finally thank the man who saved his life.

* The Boy Over The Wall is out now and available to buy on Amazon.