Residents near to Hillsborough stadium were asked in police questionnaires whether they had seen any drunken or disorderly behaviour by football fans on the day of the 1989 disaster, the inquest into the 96 deaths has heard.

About ten days after the tragedy, officers made door-to-door inquiries with one of the questions asked: "Did you witness any incidents of drunkenness or disorderly behaviour by any of the fans? (Brief description) Include time of the incident."

One of those quizzed was Angela Hockenhull who lived above a shop near to the Leppings Lane end of Sheffield Wednesday's ground, the jury sitting in Warrington was told.

In reply she said: "From about quarter-to-two on the day in question, drunken youths in red and white scarves were coming into my garden to urinate. They appeared very drunk and were very abusive. The youths moved away up Leppings Lane towards the ground."

The witness had told previous hearings into the tragedy that "several dozens" of what she thought were Liverpool fans had gone on to her property to relieve themselves before her husband sought assistance and a police officer was stationed at her front garden gate.

Giving evidence via videolink today, Ms Hockenhull said that three days later she was visited at home by two police officers who took a more detailed statement of her account.

Mark George QC, representing the bereaved families, asked her: "Bearing in mind that 96 people had died in this terrible disaster, were you surprised by the question that you were asked here about the fans, directing your attention to incidents of drunkenness and disorderly behaviour?"

She replied: "I don't believe I actually considered it at the time."

The barrister continued: "It did not occur to you to say 'hang on a minute, 96 people have died in this disaster and you want to talk about drunkenness and disorderly behaviour'. You don't think there was some sort of mismatch here?"

Ms Hockenhull said: "At the time I was not aware that events were going to pan out as they have."

In the questionnaire, she answered 'no' to whether any damage had been caused to her premises and if there was anything that marked the FA Cup semi-final between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest any different to other matches.

Another question read: "Do you have any comments concerning the South Yorkshire Police arrangements for the match or individual police officers on duty?"

The witness agreed with Mr George that the above question about the police was an open one as opposed to the "rather closed" question about the fans.

She told Mr George that her witness statement three days later was written by an officer which she read and signed.

She explained: "We had an informal conversation first and then we paraphrased the phrases that he thought were relevant into the statement. I believe he wrote out the things that I thought were relevant and then gave it to me to read and then I signed it."

Mr George asked her: "The truth is that that (drunken and disorderly) behaviour was not at all representative of the behaviour of thousands of people who would have come past your house that day."

The witness said: "A very small proportion. A lot of people - but a very small proportion."

In her statement taken by the officers she also commented: "If the Liverpool fans had been more co-operative I believe this would never have happened."

Mr George asked her: "By this, do you mean the disaster?"

Ms Hockenhull said: "To be honest I am not sure. Like I said the statement was paraphrased. I read it and signed it."

She later added: "I don't think that statement was made in that vein but it was a very disjointed paragraph and the English was not great either."

Mr George continued: "You were several 100 yards from the turnstiles at Leppings Lane. You did not go into or near the ground that day. You were not and you are not in a position to give any opinion as to the the causes of the disaster, are you?"

The witness said: "Absolutely not, no."

Asked by Brenda Campbell, also representing the bereaved families, as to whether officers stated they were investigating the deaths of 96 people and that she could not help with those inquiries, she said: "It was really quite the opposite in lieu of the fact that 96 people had died ... I didn't really think that the events of people urinating in my garden were very high on the agenda."

Ms Hockenhull agreed with John Beggs QC, representing three retired chief superintendents, that she did not design the questionnaire and she was doing her best to tell the truth in "a rather quick exchange".

She had stated to previous hearings that she had filled a 240-litre commercial bin outside her home with litter on the day of the disaster and the majority of the rubbish was beer cans of which most were Tennent's super strength lager.

Barney Branston, for West Midlands Police, asked the witness about the question on fans' behaviour.

He said: "Do you think your answer would have been in any way different if that question had been phrased simply 'do you have any comments concerning the fans?'"

She replied: "No, I probably would have mentioned the same things."