Crash deaths are a terrible waste, says priest

A crash that claimed the lives of a man and woman in Glenavy, County Antrim, on Saturday evening was a "terrible tragedy," a local priest has said.

Layla Douglas and Mikey Brown, both in their early 20s, died in the collision involving a grey Skoda and a grey Cupra on the Lurgan Road at 18:25 GMT on Saturday.

The two young people, who were travelling in the Cupra, were both pronounced dead at the scene.

Canon Colm McBride, from St Joseph's Catholic Church in Glenavy, said it was "just totally unexpected" and "such a terrible waste".

Canon McBride said the deaths had "affected people quite deeply" and that the community was thinking about the family.

"It's just very sad," he said, adding: especially with "people's focus moving towards the Christmas season and people looking forward to it and then this terrible tragedy to affect the family".

He said people are "gathering around" them and that they are "very strong in their faith".

Flowers have been laid at the crash scene next to a tree on the Lurgan Road. One tribute reads "RIP legend".

Canon McBride said the man and woman were both well known in the community.

"They would have socialised locally and a network of people they grew up with, people they went to school with in this area... all those connections, all of them will be touched by this."