THE FUNERAL of Manchester attack victim John Atkinson will take place tomorrow at St Thomas and St John Church in Radcliffe.

John, aged 28, from Radcliffe, was one of 22 people killed by the blast at the Ariana Grande concert in Manchester Arena on May 22.

A tribute from his family read: “John’s senseless death has left our family broken hearted. Our lives have been shattered beyond belief. We will continue to miss John every day, until the end of time.”

John was the devoted son of Daryl and Kevan and the loving partner for 15 years of Michael.

He was also a dear uncle, nephew, cousin and friend to many people and adored his sisters.

John would text his Mum and sisters every day making sure that they were okay.

A support worker who looked after people with autism and Asperger’s, he was described by his family as their “life and soul”.

The tribute continued: “John loved life and he lived his life to the fullest. He was loving, loyal, kind and caring. Nobody mattered more to John than the people that he loved. He was the life and soul of his family and was larger than life.

“He was not somebody that you could have a cross word with He had a heart of gold.”

Manchester City senior coroner Nigel Meadows will open the inquest into the death of the Arena bomber Salman Ramadan Abedi the day after Mr Atkinson’s funeral.

Inquests into the deaths of the victims were opened on Friday last week and Abedi’s hearing will be held at Manchester Town Hall this Friday morning.

It will then be adjourned pending the conclusion of the police investigation into the terror attack.