It is 50 years tomorrow since the Munich air disaster claimed the life of left winger David Pegg at the age of just 22, alongside seven other players.

But what at first glance appears just another headstone at Redhouse Cemetery in Adwick, remains a place of pilgrimage to a stream of football fans who know of the legendary Busby Babes.

For Irene Beevers, David was not just a football hero – he was the brother she lost when she was just 18.

Now, 50 years on, she and her family still tend the grave – as they have done since 1958.

She said: "We meet quite a few people at the grave who have come as fans, and some have come from far away. People come from all over the place. Quite a lot have been surprised to find David still has relatives here.

Do you remember David? What are your memories of the Munich disaster. Post your comment here.

"I think it is wonderful that people still come to visit the grave, but football supporters are like that."

It is not only in Britain where David is still remembered.
The family once received a letter from a fan in Warsaw, Poland, which had been addressed to David Pegg, Redhouse Cemetery, Doncaster. It arrived because a member of staff from the Post Office in the town knew of the family connection.

The family sent back a letter enclosing a copy of a signed photograph.
Irene herself has travelled to visit a memorial which remembers her brother. When her sister visited from Australia a few years ago, they decided together to go to Munich to visit the site where the tragedy happened. It is now a shopping centre, she discovered, and is marked by a stone memorial carrying the names of those who died.

She said: "It was quite moving and we were pleased that we'd done that."
Back in 1958 Irene heard the news of the crash with her mum Jessie and sister Doreen at what was then the family home at Coppice Road, Highfields. A reporter knocked on the door and said there had been an accident. He had no idea they had not heard the news and Irene initially thought he must have meant a car accident.

They switched on the radio and the picture of what had happened was beginning to emerge. Irene remembers there was confusion over who was killed and who was alive.

It was 6pm the next day that they were finally told officially that David had died.

"Until then we had been holding out the hope he was still alive," said Irene. "We just felt numb." David had signed for United as a 15-year-old, and played for the first team at 17.

In those days, he was still a regular visitor to the family home in Highfields, along with his best pals at United, Bobby Charlton and Tommy Taylor. Tommy, from Monk Bretton, Barnsley, also died in the crash. Bobby went on to become a World Cup winner in 1966 and then a European Cup winner in 1968, and is still England's record goalscorer to this day. He has remained in touch with David's family and unveiled a plaque in his memory at Highfields Miners' Welfare Club. He was also among the mourners at David's mum's funeral.

"David, Bobby and Tommy were like brothers," said Irene. "They lived together in the same lodging house, and they were always together. We knew Tommy quite well, with him being a Barnsley lad. He was lovely – a really outgoing lad. I remember the first time I met him – he was straight talking 20 to the dozen! Our David was chatty too, although quieter than Tommy. He was always smiley, and I have a son like that.

"He would be an old man like the rest of us now if he had lived. I hope he would have turned out like Bobby."

Tomorrow, Irene will be at Old Trafford with husband Jack, their daughter and son in law and three of their grandchildren, for the unveiling of a new memorial.

She says they will never forget.
TOMORROW: Dickie Bird's tribute to Tommy

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