'There's no way we can leave my uncle to die abroad'

The family of a man receiving end-of-life care in Dublin have launched an appeal to help bring him home to Greater Manchester after 15 years.

Clive Thompson, 56, from Tameside, has been living in the Irish capital since 2011 after losing contact with his family following the death of his father.

His niece Cherelle Thompson, 39, said the family had almost given up hope of being reunited with Clive - when police visited the family home in Hattersley last month bringing a "bittersweet" message. Clive was at a hospice in Blackrod with terminal cancer.

Cherelle said: "Manchester is his home. He needs to be here."

Described by his family as a "proud Manchester man", Clive was born in Moss Side, in Manchester in 1970 as the youngest of five children - after his parents emigrated from Jamaica to the UK in 1963.

Cherelle said as she was growing up she looked to her uncle as a "big brother figure", later seeing him as more of a father figure after the death of her mother at age 14.

"He was a teenager when I was born so he was kind of like that older naughty brother who would get up to mischief," said said.

"But we were kind of like his children growing up. There's so much love there because he was a father figure to us as well."

But after Clive's father died in 2011 - Cherelle said her uncle struggled with the loss and became withdrawn before leaving home and losing touch with his family.

"It was like grieving someone who hasn't died when he left," she recalled.

"I was 20 at the time and I just had to make up a nice story to stop worrying about him and we had to make peace with wishing him well, wherever he is, and hoping he's happy."

"We always thought 'he knows where home is' and if he wants to come back the door is open.

"But there had been nothing until four weeks ago.

"The police had a message from Clive, letting us know that he was on palliative care in Ireland."

The Thompson family soon made hurried plans to visit him.

"As soon as we got that knock on the door, we knew we needed to get to him. We didn't know how long we had and it could've been days," Cherelle said.

Cherelle flew to Dublin with her sister and aunt the following week.

"It was very emotional seeing him," she said. "It was really nice, but it was a weird feeling because you're happy that 'oh my god this person's back in my life' but then it's also sad that it has come after so long.

Cherelle said she and her family then went back to Ireland last week to surprise Clive on his 56th birthday.

"I've never seen him look so happy, bless him. "He looked a lot better from when we visited him the first time."

Cherelle said she immediately knew she needed to bring her uncle home to his friends, family and roots.

"At first he told me he didn't want to be a bother," Cherelle said.

"But I heard my Nanna's voice in my head telling me what I needed to do.

"I had to bring him home - I can't leave my uncle in Ireland to die alone."

Cherelle started an online appeal and over the past two weeks has raised more than £14,500 to pay for a private service to transport Clive back to Manchester.

Cherelle said the donations would also help to cover his care in the UK.

"We are hoping to bring him back next week thanks to the generosity of a community of people who have come together to help," she said.

"Hospice care can cost up to £800 a day until Clive is processed by the NHS.

"And getting him here will cost thousands in itself."

"There has been a missing piece in our family since Clive left," Cherelle said.

"He has eight great-nieces and nephews who he hasn't met yet - and when he left my eldest son was only seven - he's 22 now.

"We are all desperate to say our final goodbyes and to bring Clive back to Manchester so he can spend his final days surrounded by the people who love him.

"We have been overwhelmed by the kindness of strangers who have essentially bought Clive's ticket home.

"We aren't asking for a miracle, just for the chance to hold his hand on Manchester soil one last time."

Listen to the best of BBC Radio Manchester on Sounds and follow BBC Manchester on Facebook, X, and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.