The deaths of two local men in a crash on the Hawke's Bay Expressway have left the community in shock

Charity boxing event organiser Patrick Tama O'Brien and retired farmer Tony Anderson were killed in the two-car crash yesterday afternoon.

Mr O'Brien was a big part of the community and the driving force behind the charity event Battle For Life, which has been cancelled in light of his death.

Tonight was to be its 10th anniversary and was to have raised funds for suicide awareness programmes.