THE family of an Atherton paramedic were ‘totally blown away by the volume of people’ who came to his funeral last week.

Many residents paid their respects to John Gormley, 49 of Barbury Close, who died last month after being diagnosed with terminal cancer less than a year earlier.

The much-respected member of the community was given a guard of honour at Leigh Parish Church last Tuesday by the North West Ambulance Service, where he worked for 25 years, and mourners gave the family a total of £1,000.

They have decided to donate the money to Wigan and Leigh Hospice, which helped John with his cancer struggles during the final months of his life.

His wife Lyndsey Gormley, 38, said: “It was amazing to see so many people there and to see what the ambulance service did was incredible.

"The family and I were totally blown away with the volume of people. It was so wonderful to see and I’d like to thank everyone for that support.”

John previously worked in the medical corps of the army and was a keen fundraiser.

Lyndsey added: “John had done a lot in the community. He raised £5,000 for The Christie hospital in Manchester by doing a charity bike ride.

“He did a ride just a week before being diagnosed and I know he would be moved and humbled by the turnout at this funeral.

"I just hope that this encourages more people to check themselves. It started as a bad back that became terminal cancer.

“We received £1,000 from the many people at the funeral and we will be donating that to Wigan and Leigh Hospice.

"It’s what John would have wanted and hopefully it can help others."