Cumbria was united in grief on Thursday for the one year anniversary of a shooting rampage in which 12 people were killed.

Mourners held a two-minute silence and flags flew at half mast in tribute of Derrick Bird’s victims.

The Rev John Bannister led a special service at St Nicholas Church in Whitehaven, attended by around 500 people.

Relatives of Bird’s victims were joined by town officials and local residents, their faces still relaying a sense of bewilderment at the scale of the tragedy that struck their community last June.

The Rev Bannister said: “We join together to show our love and support for those who are hurting the most today.”

St Nicholas and other churches in the area opened their doors for the day for people wishing to pray or reflect.

The book of condolence laid out in St Nicholas in the days following the tragedy was reopened.

In the nearby town of Egremont, the parish church rang its bells 12 times – once for each of Bird’s victims.

The victims included Bird's twin brother David. Eleven people were killed when Bird went on the rampage down country lanes and in several villages in the Western Lakes area. Bird eventually turned the gun on himself.