Two men died following a trench collapse at a work site on Ballygowan Road in Crossnacreevy on Friday morning.

The incident happened shortly before 11am, prompting a rescue operation involving the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service and the Police Service of Northern Ireland.

The Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland has started an investigation into the circumstances.

Mark Glover, 38, from Ballygowan, and Joseph Hobbs, 23, originally from Glasgow but living in Comber, were both pronounced dead at the scene.

Both men worked for J Murdoch Contracts Ltd, a groundworks contractor based in Comber that operates across Northern Ireland and the UK.

A statement from the company said the men were not just employees but friends to everyone in the firm.

Mr Glover's funeral is due to take place at Gilmore's Funeral Church in Comber on Friday, followed by a committal service at Roselawn Crematorium. He was the father of two boys.

Mr Hobbs, who was the father of a young son, will be laid to rest in Scotland, with arrangements yet to be confirmed. He is reposing at Dempsey's Funeral Home in Kilrea.

A GoFundMe page set up by a friend of the pair raised over £20,000 from more than 600 donations within two days. The stated goal is £28,000 to give the men "the farewell they deserve".

Police said the deaths are not being treated as suspicious and that they are working closely with the Health and Safety Executive and others as enquiries continue.

Data released two days before the accident showed more than 80 people had died in workplace accidents in Northern Ireland over the last five years, most in construction and agriculture.