The coffin of Stephen Gately will be carried by the four surviving members of Boyzone at his funeral on Saturday.

Two members of the late singer's family will assist Ronan Keating, Mikey Graham, Shane Lynch and Keith Duffy at the service.

Thousands are expected to attend the mass, which will begin at midday at St Laurence O'Toole's Church on Sherriff Street, Dublin.

Spokesman Gerald Kean told Sky News the family and Gately's civil partner Andrew Cowles had been “overwhelmed by the outpouring of support from the public”.

"This is an extremely difficult time for the family but they are lifted by the fact everyone who ever met Stephen Gately had positive, happy memories,” he said. 

"He was a unique, beautiful young man."

Gately was found dead in his apartment in Majorca last weekend.

A post-mortem found the star, who was on holiday with Cowles, had suffered a pulmonary oedema.

Stephen Gately - RIP