Tributes paid to teacher from Liverpool killed in Reading terror attack
Tributes have been paid to a teacher from Liverpool killed in a terrorist attack at the weekend.
James Furlong, was one of three people killed in Forbury Gardens in Reading town centre, at around 7pm on Saturday (June 20).
The 36-year-old, originally from Liverpool, had taught in the city before taking a position at The Holt School in Wokingham, where he was head of history, government and politics.
Before moving, James taught at King David High School in Liverpool, where he worked at the school over a period of four years.
In a statement, King David said they were 'deeply saddened' to learn of his death.
Andrew Misra, a former pupil of King David who was taught by Mr Furlong, said James was a brilliant teacher, who had so much enthusiasm for history it was 'infectious.'
St Francis Xavier College in Liverpool, where Mr Furlong was once a pupil, paid tribute to a 'kind and gentle' man, who cared for all his students.
His parents, Gary and Janet, released a statement through Thames Valley Police which said:
The Holt School in Wokingham, Berkshire, also held a two minute silence and laid flowers in memory of their teacher, with lessons cancelled for all year groups on Monday.
Joe Ritchie-Bennett has been named as the second victim of the attack and had moved from the UK to the US around 15 years ago.
The third victim has been named as David Wails, a senior scientist at a global chemicals company and a friend of the other two victims.
Police are continuing to hold a 25-year-old suspected of committing the attack.
The suspect is understood to be Khairi Saadallah, a refugee of the civil war in Libya who briefly came to the attention of MI5 last year.
The Prime Minister Boris Johnson said in a post on his Twitter page that he was 'appalled and sickened' by the attack, and paid tribute to those affected.