Big Fat Gypsy Wedding Star Paddy Doherty joins 1,000 travellers at funeral of 19-year-old suspect

This is the extraordinary moment a crowd of around 1,000 mourners, including Big Fat Gypsy Wedding star Paddy Doherty, shout as a teenager who died in a police pursuit is laid to rest.

Thomas Patrick Connor, known as Tull, suffered fatal injuries when the van he was driving smashed into a railway bridge in Manchester city centre earlier this month.

His family say the 19-year-old had been enjoying a night out playing snooker with pals and was heading home to the official Traveller site on Dantzic Street when he failed to stop for police.

In hugely emotional scenes, the video of his funeral shows mourners yelling 'Go on Tull!' and patting his coffin as it is carried into a church in Doncaster , with hired Lambhorghini cars following, last Thursday

This is the extraordinary moment a crowd of around 1,000 mourners, including Big Fat Gypsy Wedding star Paddy Doherty, shout as teenager Thomas Patrick Connor, 19, who died in a police pursuit, is laid to rest. In hugely emotional scenes, the video of his funeral shows mourners yelling ‘Go on Tull!’ and patting his coffin as it is carried into a church in Doncaster , with hired Lambhorghini cars following, last Thursday

He was pursued twice before his van crashed into a wall on Aspin Lane at around 11.30pm on Saturday, April 6.

Paramedics were called but Mr Connor was declared dead at the scene.

A 17-year-old passenger also suffered minor injuries.

In hugely emotional scenes, the video of his funeral shows mourners yelling ‘Go on Tull!’ and patting his coffin as it is carried into a church in Doncaster last Thursday. 

Members of the Traveller community attended the service from all over the country, and Big Fat Gypsy Wedding star Paddy Doherty spoke into the camera as he joined mourners.

The engines of two Lamborghini supercars, one white and one green – which were hired for the occasion – are revved loudly as they follow Mr Connor’s coffin. 

Members of the Traveller community attended the service from all over the country, and Big Fat Gypsy Wedding star Paddy Doherty (left) spoke into the camera as he joined mourners

Mr Connor's family say the 19-year-old had been enjoying a night out and was heading home to the official Traveller site on Dantzic Street when he failed to stop for police and his van crashed into a wall on Aspin Lane at around 11.30pm on Saturday, April 6

Members of the Traveller community attended the service from all over the country, and Big Fat Gypsy Wedding star Paddy Doherty (left) spoke into the camera as he joined mourners. Mr Connor’s family say the 19-year-old had been enjoying a night out and was heading home to the official Traveller site on Dantzic Street when he failed to stop for police and his van crashed into a wall on Aspin Lane at around 11.30pm on Saturday, April 6

One had the numberplate ‘TBOY’ in reference to his nickname ‘Tullboy’, while many of the mourners wore t-shirts bearing his picture.

His silver coffin was first brought from Barnsley before Mr Connor was carried into St Peter-in-Chains church for a Catholic ceremony.

Later his seven-year-old nephew Felix sang John Legend’s ‘All Of Me’ as Mr Connor was lowered into his grave and hundreds of balloons and doves were released into the sky. 

His silver coffin was first brought from Barnsley before Mr Connor was carried into St Peter-in-Chains church for a Catholic ceremony

Later his seven-year-old nephew Felix sang John Legend's 'All Of Me' as Mr Connor was lowered into his grave and hundreds of balloons and doves were released into the sky

His silver coffin was first brought from Barnsley before Mr Connor was carried into St Peter-in-Chains church for a Catholic ceremony. Later his seven-year-old nephew Felix sang John Legend’s ‘All Of Me’ as Mr Connor was lowered into his grave and hundreds of balloons and doves were released into the sky

The crash which led to Mr Connor’s death is the subject of an investigation by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), the police watchdog. 

Last week, Mr Connor’s family said they have a range of questions they want answered over the circumstances of the fatal crash including why he was being pursued in the first place.

Officers are being interviewed as witnesses and Greater Manchester Police say they are supporting the probe.

No officer has been suspended or placed on restricted duties, GMP added. 

Mr Connor was the youngest of eight siblings but lost both his parents as a child and was raised by his brothers and sisters.  

Thomas Patrick Connor (pictured) was killed in the pursuit through Manchester city centre when the silver Vauxhall van he was driving crashed

Thomas Patrick Connor (pictured) was killed in the pursuit through Manchester city centre when the silver Vauxhall van he was driving crashed

His sister Shannon Connor, 26, told the Manchester Evening News: ‘We were just so proud of him.

‘We tried to give him the best send off possible. We are a very close community and it just shows how much Tull was loved.

‘People came from all over the country.

The 19-year-old, known as 'Tull' was declared dead at the scene (pictured, the railway bridge) and a 17-year-old boy who was a passenger in the van required hospital treatment

The 19-year-old, known as ‘Tull’ was declared dead at the scene (pictured, the railway bridge) and a 17-year-old boy who was a passenger in the van required hospital treatment

Mr Connor's sister, Shannon Connor (pictured) said the family are demanding answers from the police as to what happened before the crash at 11.30pm on April 6

Mr Connor’s sister, Shannon Connor (pictured) said the family are demanding answers from the police as to what happened before the crash at 11.30pm on April 6

‘He was a well-known person and everybody loved him. He was so young.

‘Tull was the kind of person nobody ever had a problem with, he was happy-go-lucky, you couldn’t pick a fault with him.’

Mr Connor’s family say they have no idea why he didn’t stop for police but say he had never been in trouble before and must simply have ‘panicked’.

The IOPC says it remains in contact with Mr Connor’s family and will keep them updated.

A spokesperson added last week: ‘We will not speculate about specific details while we are conducting an ongoing investigation.’

‘Clearly there are a lot of unanswered questions at this time, which is precisely why it’s so important our independent investigation continues to progress.

‘We were initially aware that two pursuits took place, within a short space of time, on the evening of 6 April.

Tributes to the teenager, the youngest of eight siblings from the Connor family, many of whom live at a Traveller site in Manchester city centre, just yards from the scene of the crash

Tributes to the teenager, the youngest of eight siblings from the Connor family, many of whom live at a Traveller site in Manchester city centre, just yards from the scene of the crash

‘We can confirm that, having reviewed the evidence available so far, we are investigating the circumstances of both pursuits.’

‘Our thoughts remain with all those affected by this incident. The officers involved remain witnesses to our investigation.

‘We have met with Mr Connor’s family regularly, including today, to discuss our investigation and answer as many questions as we possibly can.

Big Fat Gypsy Wedding star Paddy Doherty, 60, joined mourners at the funeral of Mr Connor

Big Fat Gypsy Wedding star Paddy Doherty, 60, joined mourners at the funeral of Mr Connor

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