Police descended on Wythenshawe last night following a drink-fuelled wake following the death of a young dad.
People gathered in the grounds of The Cornishman pub in Woodhouse Park to mark the death of Aiden Robinson who died in a car crash last month. He was 24.
But police were called to the scene and appeared to disperse the gathering.
Pictures from the scene showed hundreds of floral tributes and pictures of Aiden alongside empty bottles of booze.
At least six police vans including some riot-trained Tactical Aid Unit officers were called to the area, at the junction of Cornishway and Portway.
Police closed Portway for a period but it was later re-opened.
Stagecoach diverted their 103 service because of the disruption.
One passer-by who witnessed the aftermath described how empty bottles of booze including Jack Daniels and Budweiser beer were left among the tributes.
"They had obviously had a big party," they said.
There were complaints from some on social media about the gathering, which appears to have been a breach of coronavirus restrictions, but also support from others.
One slammed the 'absolute idiots' from the earlier funeral procession where someone is said to have thrown a bottle of spirit out of a window, hitting a parked car.
They reported that some mourners were racing through the area on quad bikes and motorbikes.
"It's a funeral not a day out at the car or bike race track," they said, going on to claim that some of the mourners were seen hanging out of car windows while pouring beer into their mouths.
Another described how it had been 'kicking off'.
However, others expressed support for the gathering and anger that the police had been called.
One wrote "Police need to f*** off and let the family and friends show there [sic] respect. Absolutely disgusting. How on earth are the police trying to cause trouble cause that’s what they be doing."
The dad passed away after the Audi he was driving smashed in Siddington, Cheshire last month.
Paramedics took three other patients to hospital following the one-vehicle crash on Congleton Road.
Aiden, also known by the surname Smethurst, was a partner of ten years to Kerry Topolinski and dad to six-year-old Aila-Rose Robinson.
The 24-year-old's family said he was always by Aila-Rose's side - she was his 'princess' and he was her 'king'.
Aiden was born on July 1, 1996, to parents Brian Robinson and Patricia (Wandy) Whelan in Newall Green.
He owned his own removal company - AR Removals.
He enjoyed spending time at the Cornishman Pub in Wythenshawe, where he would meet friends and family.
He was brother to six siblings - Paul, Liam, Leevi, Jessica, Cameron and Keiran.
Following tonight's incident, a spokesman for Greater Manchester Police confirmed they were aware of the 'on-going' incident but declined to say anything further.
