Tributes have been paid to a regional sports journalist who died suddenly last weekend aged just 33.
Liam Chronnell, a sub-editor and reporter at the Bolton News for five years, was found dead at his home on Sunday morning.
A cause of death has yet to be established but police are not treating it as suspicious and a post mortem is set to take place this week.
Shocked colleagues have paid tribute to the popular journalist, who was also a husband and father.
Ian Savage, editor of the Bolton News, said: “Liam’s death has been a tremendous shock to everyone in the company. He was a popular and talented journalist who will be sadly missed.”
Liam played a major role in the paper’s coverage of Bolton Wanderers and boxer Amir Khan and had excellent connections in local boxing.
Bolton Wanderers manager Owen Coyle said: “We were extremely saddened to hear of Liam’s death. He was a regular at our press conferences and a likeable, engaging man.
“I would like to offer our deepest sympathy to his family.”
Amir Rashid, from Amir Khan’s camp, said: “Team Khan were shocked and upset at the news of Liam’s passing. He was a really nice and friendly man whenever he dealt with Team Khan.”
A tribute on Bury Football Club’s website read: “All at Bury Football Club are deeply saddened by Liam’s death. He has been a regular at Gigg Lane over the years keeping tabs on the Shakers’ progress.”
Chief football reporter Marc Iles, who worked alongside Liam for several years, said: “Liam and I travelled the country together covering football for the paper and on radio, putting the world to rights on the long drives up and down the motorways.
“We had some great fun and I’ll miss his sense of humour. He was a talented journalist, with such a keen sense for news. He had a way of cutting through everything and getting straight to the story.
“He loved his partner Caroline and his young daughter Olive to bits, and all our thoughts and prayers are with them both.”
Liam had previously worked at the Stockport Express, the Salford Advertiser and the Macclesfield Express newspapers
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This has been a terrible shock for me this week. RIP mate. From a stunned former colleague.
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Stunned. I was on a press trip with him a few years back and he was just larger than life. Lovely bloke. RIP to his friends and family.
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A great lad, always smiling, loved his job, his family and Manchester United Football Club. The fact it has hit so many people so hard this week, shows how popular he was and how much he will be missed by all who knew him. Truly sad. In a bit mate.
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I was also on a press trip with Liam and his girlfriend. We had a great laugh and I was speaking to him only a few months ago. We both now have young children and had a good moan about it, in a good way. Totally shocked by this.
As T says, ‘In A Bit’.
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LIam will be sadly missed by all of us at Washington Mills who knew him. I, particularly, always appreciated the love and support he gave to Caroline, who worked for me for many years. I know how proud and happy they both were when their daugher. Olive, was born. Our thoughts and prayers are with Caroline and their daughter and with both their families.
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