An entrepreneur was shot dead outside a bar in Berlin by a neo-Nazi thug, an inquest heard.

Luke Holland, 31, from Heaton Mersey, was sprayed with pellets from a sawn-off shotgun in the German capital, Stockport Coroners Court was told.

At his inquest on Monday, his devastated parents Rita and Philip, both 63, told how when they went to the city for the trial of the man who murdered their son - they themselves were targeted by neo-Nazis.

And they say that during the aftermath of Luke’s death there was little in the way of support or guidance from the Foreign Office.

Philip told the coroner: “The Foreign Office did nothing for us, they offered to come to the trial for two days, it lasted 26 or 27. It wasn’t really handled well at all, one day there were neo-Nazis threatening us outside.”

Rita said in the inquest: “It is astonishing how little help is available, the Foreign Office is not worth the paper it is written on, we were left like lambs to the slaughter.”

After the inquest she added: “They sent us a document off the internet, what if someone dies abroad, that was it. We would have liked more advice, there was no one there to tell us what to do next.

“It was very impersonal, we didn’t know how to get Luke’s body home. The Foreign Office told us nothing about procedures, they just sent a list of funeral directors that would get Luke’s body back to London.”

The inquest heard German authorities were set to charge the man who shot Luke with manslaughter until his parents - with help from charities and a lawyer who volunteered his services - fought to get the charge upped to murder.

The man responsible was not named at the inquest but has been previously identified as Rolf Z and is serving a sentence of 11 years and seven months.

Luke was shot on September 20, 2015, and it was said at the inquest that the man responsible then went back into the bar with his gun looking for ‘the other one’. This was presumed to mean another foreigner as he had been previously complaining about people not speaking German.

Upon his arrest his apartment was searched and Nazi items as well as weapons were found.

The coroner heard he had also been previously involved in an investigation into the shooting of a German man of Turkish decent.

Luke was taken to hospital after being shot in the chest and abdomen, but was pronounced dead.

Speaking of Rolf Z after the inquest, Rita said: “I don’t feel any anger yet, when we were in court he didn’t give a damn. I slammed Luke’s picture on the glass in front of him and he just looked at it for 10 seconds then spat out, ‘English’.”

The Manchester United fan, who had an MBA from Oxford University and spoke fluent Japanese, had been in Germany as part of his work helping small start-up businesses with investment.

His current project was a vibrating music bracelet, which had attracted interest from larger firms.

After the hearing Philip said: “Luke was a happy, kind, intelligent young man who was well loved and respected, not just by his friends and family but his friends and colleagues all over the world.

“He was brought up to believe that with happiness, kindness and endeavour a happy and fruitful life could be achieved. Luke not only believed this, he lived his life to the full like this.

“Luke was may favourite person, not only my son. It is so hard to understand why. An accident, yes, an illness, yes, but a senseless murder, no.”

Senior South Manchester Coroner Alison Mutch recorded a conclusion of unlawful killing.

A Foreign Office spokesman said: “Embassy staff have been in touch with Luke Holland’s family to provide support since his tragic death in 2015. We will continue to assist in any way we can.”