A CANDLELIT vigil has been held in honour of a father-of-three who was stabbed to death on a night out.

Friends and relatives of Paul Gilligan, 31, gathered close to the Pepper Hill pub in Bolton where he was attacked in the early hours of Sunday.

They placed a number of tributes and lit candles in memory of Mr Gilligan, who suffered knife wounds to his chest and shoulder.

His mother, Maureen, was comforted by family amid emotional scenes. A pair of boxing gloves was also laid, as well as a tribute to `the best dad in the world'.

Details of the vigil were posted on an internet networking site by friend Carl Fisher. He said that because of Mr Gilligan's popularity interest had `snowballed'.

The group, RIP Paul Gilligan, has over 500 members and almost 100 tributes.

Earlier his grieving parents, two brothers, partner Louise and their children described him as `a beautiful person, both inside and out'.

Mr Gilligan, from Little Hulton, was one of three stab victims in Bolton over the weekend.

Leon Ramsden, 19, of Chorley New Road, Bolton, has been charged with his murder.