Friends of two amateur footballers killed in a sports car crash helped carry their coffins at their funeral yesterday.

More than 2,000 mourners turned out for the burial service of Blackburn men Irfan Ahmed Musa, 24, and Suhel Congress, 20.

Irfan, of St James Place, and Suhel, of Shear Brow, died after their high-powered Mercedes went out of control as they travelled towards Blackburn on the A59 at Samlesbury.

It is thought Irfan lost control of the car on a left-hand bend going uphill before the car hit a lamppost and collided with a tree.

The death of the men, who both played amateur football in Blackburn, came days after Irfan had returned from honeymoon with his wife, Zainab, 23, and has stunned the local community.

The joint burial service at Pleasington Cemetery had to be delayed by 15 minutes as thousands arrived to say their final farewells.

Around 50 volunteer stewards directed motorists who parked bumper to bumper, stretching from the cemetery to Pleasington playing fields.

And a steady stream of mourners, mostly in traditional Muslim dress, started arriving an hour before the start of the service.

It was led by Sheikh Ilyas Juneidi, Imam of Masid-Al-Hidayaah, the mosque where the men worshipped.

He told the packed grounds of the cemetery, including many teenagers, the untimely deaths were a reminder to all how precious life is.

After individual prayers were said, the coffins were carried a short distance and young friends of the men, including members of the team Irfan played for, AC Milham, helped family members bury the men side by side.

Close friend Khalil Patel, 20, who attended the same mosque and played in the same seven-a-side league, at Witton Park, said he was delighted so many had come to pay their respects.

"They were both good people and I had known them all my life. Their death has really hit the community hard and I think it will only really sink in what a loss to community they are after the service as everybody is still in shock."

Coun Hussain Akhtar, ward member for Shear Brow described the men's death as "a dark day for Blackburn."

The smash has now prompted renewed calls for safety measures on the A59.

l An inquest has been opened into the deaths of Irfan and Suhel.

The hearing heard that both men died at the scene.

Post mortem examinations have been carried out and the hearing will resume on November 29.