Manchester Arena Inquiry: John Atkinson 'was perfect son'

John Atkinson had a "massively addictive personality" and his "smile would light the room up", his parents have told a public inquiry.

Over the next two weeks, the relatives of the 22 people killed in the 2017 Manchester Arena bombing will provide a personal insight into the lives of their loved ones and how their lives were changed forever.

Several statements from Mr Atkinson's family - including one from his parents and one from each of his three sisters - were read out by lawyers while a video of photographs were shown to the inquiry.

"He loved everyone and everyone loved him," his parents Daryl and Kevan Price said during an emotional "pen portrait".

"He was the centre of our world."

The inquiry heard after leaving school the 28-year-old, from Radcliffe in Bury, worked with young adults with autism and behavioural difficulties.

His parents described him as the "perfect son" who "would help anyone".

"He adored his sisters and his nephews and would always treat them taking them on days out."

They said he was "extremely clever" with a Mensa IQ of 137 at the age of eight years old and loved music and dancing.

"You could actually hear the music blasting out of [his] car before he turned the corner at the top of the street."

His parents also said he was a "cleanaholic" as well as a keep fit fanatic and he was named Man of the Year at Slimming World after losing eight-and-a-half stone in weight.

"John's smile would light the room up whenever he came through the door."

They added: "Since John's untimely death our lives have been torn apart."

His younger sister Amy said: "Some days it's hard to think about anything else, like it consumes my head and the hurt and the pain we feel is awful."

His older sister Laura said: "I'll never get over what happened to him, I don't think any of us can. We've lost the biggest and best part of our puzzle. It can never be fixed now."

Stacey added: "That horrible day John was taken from us, my family has not been the same again and it never will."

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