A TRIBUTE service will be held for a father and his teenage son who died after getting caught in a snowstorm in Colorado.

Damian McManus, aged 51, and 18-year-old Evan had embarked on a hiking trip in the Rocky Mountains in April but the pair disappeared during a period of deep snowfalls and sub-zero temperatures.

Mr McManus — a former Thornleigh pupil from Lostock — had moved to the United States and was living in St Louis Park in Minneapolis with his family at the time.

The duo had gone on the trip while Mr McManus’ wife Katherine and his daughter Lauren — Evan’s twin sister — were on holiday in Mexico.

Search efforts were hampered by the difficult conditions and rescuers were forced to call off the search.

Volunteer firefighters resumed the search in July and the bodies were found on July 17.

A statement from the family said: “We will be forever grateful to the officials and rescue volunteers who searched in dangerous conditions in their determination to bring Damian and Evan home.

“The sympathy and generosity of the many communities who continuously supported the family is greatly appreciated.”

A requiem mass was held at a church in Idaho Springs in Colorado before more than 800 people gathered at a church in the family’s home town of St Louis Park on August 14 for a service — with moving tributes offered by family, friends, fellow students and work colleagues.

A Holy Mass will be offered at St Mary’s RC Church in Chorley New Road, Horwich, at 11am on Saturday.

Mr McManus’ mother Maureen still lives in Bolton as do many other family members.

After the service, some of the father and son’s ashes will be buried beneath a statue of Our Lady in the grounds of St Mary’s where the ashes of Mr McManus’ father Bill McManus lie.