Memorial services have been held throughout West Cumbria today to remember the victims of Wednesday's shooting rampage.
Twelve people were killed and dozens were injured when 52-year-old Derrick Bird opened fire across towns and villages in the area.
A message of condolence from Queen Elizabeth was read out at a remembrance service held this evening at Whitehaven's St Nicholas' Church.
The Rev Jim Marshall, curate of St Michael's Church in Lamplugh, said the man the Bird family had known was ‘not the person they saw on Wednesday’, and that they have ‘dreadful sorrow within them and dreadful sadness within them’.
Rev Marshall read out a short statement on behalf of Graeme and Jamie Bird, Derrick's two sons.
It said: ‘We are utterly devastated about the death of our father Derrick Bird. To us, he was the nicest man you could ever meet. He was a loving dad and recently became a grandfather.
‘We would like to say that we do not know why our dad committed these horrific crimes. We are both mortified by these sad events.’
The statement was released as communities gathered for memorial services to remember those who died.
