Shock at tragic deaths

Mr Hamilton, late of Primity Crescent in Newbuildings, was in his 60s and died suddenly after he took ill at the roadside in Magheramason at lunchtime on Monday. He was the second person to die on that stretch of road inside 24 hours, but police said they were treating the incident as "a sudden death rather than a road traffic collision".

It is understood that Mr Hamilton felt unwell and collapsed and despite emergency services being called to the scene they were unable to save him.

Meanwhile, on Sunday evening a 22-year-old man died after his car crashed. No other vehicle was involved in the tragedy.

Commenting on the death of Mr Hamilton, Rev David Hillen, of Magheramason Presbyterian Church, said Mr Hamilton's late wife had been a member of his church and the couple had two daughters Rhonda and Lynn.

"His wife had been a member of the congregation, but Mr Hamilton was not, His daughter Rhonda is married and still lives in the village, while his daughter Lynn married and moved to Donemana.

"It is very sad. Andy would have been very well-known and a likable big man. My memories of him are of a very jovial person. He will be missed by everyone who knew him," Mr Hillen said.

The 22-year-old man who died in the car crash in Magheramason on Sunday evening has been named locally as Gareth Gallagher, from Eglinton.

His funeral will be to St Mary's Church, Tamnaherin, at 11am tomorrow, Thursday.

Father Patrick Mullan, the Parish Priest at Faughanvale, said the young man's death had "devastated" his family.

"I've just come from the family and they are distraught," he said, adding: "They will find this very hard to come to terms with. This was a young man who had everything to live for. I believe he had just purchased his first home."

Mr Gallagher is survived by his parents Gerard and Jacqueline, his sister Jennifer and girlfriend, Sinead.

The police have appealed for anyone who was travelling on the road at the time and witnessed the accident to contact them.