DOZENS of people yesterday attended a traditional Iranian memorial service to pay their last respects to asylum seeker Peyman Bahmani who was stabbed to death a week ago.

The event at Newcastle Civic Centre came as friends of Mr Bahmani set up a trust fund so his body can be returned to his family in Iran for a funeral.

Mr Bahmani, who lived in Burdon Village with his partner Sonia Voza was visiting friends before leaving Wearside to open a new restaurant in Brighton when he was stabbed in Sunderland.

He died later in Sunderland Royal Hospital, following what police described as a racially motivated attack.

Relatives of Mr Bahmani have set up a bank account to raise the £3,000 needed to repatriate his body to Iran.

Anyone wishing to make a cash contribution can do so to the Peyman Bahmani Memorial Fund at any branch of the Royal Bank of Scotland or by sending cheques to the Iranian Centre, 4 Callerton Place, Newcastle NE4 5NQ.

* Stephen Richard Roberts, 18 of Morvenside, Edinburgh , has been charged with murdering Mr Bahmani. He has also been accused of violent disorder and racially aggravated assault.

Joseph Thomas Rutherford, 23, and Gavin Gash, 27, both of Sunderland have been charged with racially aggravated assault.The pair will appear in Newcastle Crown Court on Monday.