THE funeral of holidaymaker James Cook is due to take place on Thursday at Overdale Crematorium.

Friends and family of the 22-year-old, from Tonge Moor, are now waiting for an inquest to be opened into into his death so that the funeral can go ahead.

Mr Cook, who was a keen Manchester United fan, died after falling 10 feet over a wall while holidaying in Cyprus.

He was taken to hospital with a broken leg but stopped breathing and died during the night. A post mortem examination has now been carried out by a pathologist on the island and James's body has been flown home to Bolton.

He was staying at the Kapetanios Hotel in Protaras with his girlfriend, Kate Hewitt, aged 20, her father and two friends.

Kate, aged 20, had gone to fetch their hotel keys when the incident happened. When she returned she found him lying at the bottom of a 10 foot drop between two pathways.

He was gasping for breath but managed to tell her that he had fallen over a plant pot and had slipped over the side.