Family pays tribute to man found dead at Manchester hotel

The family of a man thought to have been murdered at a hotel has said he was “always the life and soul of the party”.

Thomas Noakes, 29, from Eccles, Salford, was found in a first-floor room at the Britannia Hotel in Manchester city centre on Wednesday.

Police made the discovery after they were called to reports of another man falling from the fifth floor of the same building at Portland Street shortly after 5.30am.

The man who fell from the hotel has been formally identified as 21-year-old Hayden Fitzpatrick.

Both men were pronounced dead at the scene.

Detectives have launched a murder investigation but are not currently looking for anyone else in connection with the incident.

On Friday, Mr Noakes’s family said: “Thomas was a fantastic, amazing, lovable man who made us all laugh and was always the life and soul of the party.

“He was a much loved son, brother, brother-in-law, uncle, cousin and friend.

“It is with great difficulty that his friends and family have to say goodbye to someone who touched so many lives, and was loved by everyone he met.

“He will be missed so much but never forgotten for the fun, loving and caring person that he was.”