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FAMILY and friends packed St Mary's RC Church on Monday to pay their final respects to a 'wonderful young man' whose death has shocked the community.

Hundreds of people attended the funeral of 27-year-old Gavin McAleer, of Longmoss Close, who died from a stab wound following an incident in the car park of The Vaults, in Wheelock Street, last month.

Father Peter Dutton conducted the service at the King Street church and said it was extremely moving to see the number of young people who turned out to support the former St Nicholas High School pupil's family.

He said: "The service was attended by his many friends and members of the parish and there were a lot of young people there whose lives he clearly touched."

The funeral mass began with a reading by Gavin's sister and as well as traditional hymns the Coldplay single Fix You was played.

Father Dutton said: "In many respects it made it easier for me to talk about Gavin.

"There is a line in the song which speaks of a love which you will not let go and I used this to try to comfort Gavin's family and those who knew him.

"Gavin is safe in the hands of God now and the service was a celebration of a wonderful young man who was loved very much and will be sadly missed."

He added: "We need to pray for the people who continue to pursue the way of violence."

The service, which took place at 11am on October 3, was followed by a burial at Middlewich Cemetery.