The families of road crash victims in Northern Ireland are to benefit from the opening of a new trauma support centre.

The east Belfast centre, the first of its kind in the province, will help people cope with the bereavement of losing someone in a road accident.

It will be officially opened on Friday by Environment Minister Dermot Nesbitt.

To date this year, 107 people have died on the roads in Northern Ireland. Five of those fatalities occurred last weekend.

It is nice that you can be truthful in your feelings

Phyllis Sloan Trauma Support Centre

That figure compares to 101 deaths on the roads in the same period last year.

The woman behind the new centre is Phyllis Sloan whose husband was the victim of a drink-driving incident said it was much needed.

"When someone dies on the road, very quickly afterwards people feel you should get on with it," she said.

"You cannot go out there and show your true emotions.

"But when you come in here you can because there are a lot of people feeling the exact same way and it is nice that you can be truthful in your feelings."

Since her husband's death, she has campaigned to help relatives of victims and helped raise money for the centre.