THEY came with tears in their eyes to say goodbye to the lad who loved life.

Mourners converged on St Paul's Church, Astley Bridge, for the funeral of Mark Ashworth, 21, who died after an incident in Bolton town centre in the early hours of Good Friday.

They sobbed as Mark's favourite pop music filled a church, lit by shafts of sunlight through the stained glass windows.

They laughed as Andy Dorning recalled how his fun-loving best mate enjoyed a pint and a night out in Bolton.

But, united in grief, they came for one purpose - to remember and pay tribute to a life lost so young.

Curate Rev Kesh Govan, leading a moving 30-minute service, said words were impossible to describe the sudden and tragic loss of someone who meant so much to so many people.

He told mourners they had lost a caring lad who lived life to the full and would help anyone in need.

"Mark was gentle giant," said Mr Govan. "A gentle giant who touched the hearts of all our community."

About 300 mourners also heard a tear-jerking tribute from Mark's best mate Andy Dorning. He told how Mark, of Waverley Road, Astley Bridge, loved a joke - and chatting up girls in town centre pubs.

Fighting back tears, he said: "He was a typical Bolton lad. He liked getting drunk. He liked getting birds. Always my birds. That was Mark. I love you mate."

Earlier folk stood in silence as members of Mark's football team, The Toby Inn, Edgworth, carried his coffin underneath pink blossom trees leading to the church entrance.

Flowers packed into two hearses from friends, family, the football club and workmates also paid tribute to Mark,who was a panel beater at E and B Motors, Lever Street, Bolton. One bouquet carried a note which read: "Dear is your memory. Sweet is your name. Close to my heart you will always remain."

Tears flowed as the football team carried the coffin to hearses waiting to take Mark's family - dad Jim, mum Lynn, sister Michelle and brother Paul - to a private burial service at Astley Bridge Cemetery.

Pupils at Mark's former primary school St Pauls' - just yards from the church where his funeral took place - played in the school yard unaware of the sorrow around them.

But as mourners, many sobbing, made their way to cars they had just one thought on their minds.

One told a friend: "I won't forget Mark as long as I live."

Simon Brookes, 19, who is accused of Mark's manslaughter, is due to appear before Bolton magistrates on June 26.

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