£3k raised after towpath death

Matthew Thompson died on Saturday after he became unwell on the Lagan towpath in Lisburn.

A service of thanksgiving for Matthew’s life will be held in The Ulster Temple on the Ravenhill Road in Belfast at 12.30pm.

His death insertion indicated that a private family committal will be held before the service.

On Monday his partner and “soulmate” Lauren McCaughtry, 28, launched the appeal on JustGiving to raise funds to buy a defibrillator.

On the JustGiving page Ms McCaughtry says: “Weʼre raising £1,500 to purchase a defibrillator for the towpath in Lisburn so other families can be spared the trauma of losing a loved one.”

By early yesterday evening it had surpassed £3,700.

On the page, Ms McCaughtry adds: “My dearest Matthew was taken from us by an undiagnosed heart condition.

“We have got to get something good to come out of this absolute tragedy so please help us to purchase a defibrillator that we can put on the towpath where Matthew died so as we can maybe prevent some other family from going through this devastation.”