Mariah Carey pays tribute at Manchester bomb victim funeral

LONDON – Mariah Carey sent a video message and the stars of the long-running British TV show “Coronation Street” were among the mourners at a funeral for Manchester concert bombing victim Martyn Hett.

The music-loving 29-year-old was a self-professed “superfan” of the Manchester-set soap opera.

Hett was one of 22 people killed May 22 when a suicide bomber struck concertgoers leaving an Ariana Grande show in the city in northwest England.

Hett’s “Coronation Street”-themed coffin was taken to Stockport Town Hall in Greater Manchester by horse-drawn carriage Friday for his funeral. A producer and several actors from “Coronation Street” were among hundreds of mourners at the service, whose dress code was “black and fabulous.”

In a video message, Carey said “I know you’re shining down on us from heaven.”

Hett’s father, Paul Hett, told the gathering that his son “was inspirational and this in turn inspired everyone around him.”

“In a very nice way, Martyn loved being in the limelight and the centre of attention,” he said. “He would be loving every minute of this fantastic celebration of his life.”