FRIENDS linked hands and blocked the road in Atherton town centre before a funeral wake for 25-year-old pub manager Sean Gregson Hendry who was found hanged last week.

After the funeral, as 200 mourners packed in to The Venue nightclub in Market Street, Sean's father, retired fireman John Hendry, publicly thanked 19-year-old Jon Leaver who had tried desperately to revive Sean after he had been found hanging from a fire escape at The Spinners Arms pub.

Mr Hendry said: "My family commiserate with Jon and express our gratitude for his valiant efforts in attempting to revive Sean. Sadly this was in vain, but no one could have done more. Thank you, Jon." At his Stanley Street home Mr Hendry this week told the Journal he was baffled as to why Sean hanged himself. He related how Sean had packed in his job as a roofer to run the Bolton Road pub and how Jon, of Wigan Road, Atherton, had stayed over at the pub after it closed on Saturday night. In the early hours of Sunday Sean's body was discovered and Jon, who was staying in a flat at the pub, vainly tried to revive his pal. Devastated Jon broke the news to Sean's father soon after. Mr Hendry said : "His friends say it had been a normal Saturday night and Sean gave no indication of what he was about to do. He didn't leave a note." As a teenager the ex-Hesketh Fletcher High pupil had boxed with Tyldesley Boxing Club and been an impressive basketball player. He was given a memorable send-off after a service at Atherton Parish Church. Mr Hendry was a pall bearer along with younger brother Gary Gregson, his brother-in-law and nephew Chris and Stephen Hulme, Sean's stepfather Alan Leyland, and Mr Hendry's firefighter colleague Mick Rowson.