By Caroline Henderson
The streets of Whitehaven in Cumbria were almost deserted as the community struggled to come to terms with the terrifying moment a gunman went on a shooting rampage which begun in their quiet town.
The area around Duke Street, where the first shots were fired, was cordoned off and many of the businesses nearby closed their doors hours earlier.
The number of journalists and television crews outnumbered pedestrians in Whitehaven, which is usually a peaceful coastal tourist town.
The few residents that were wandering the streets were keen to talk to the media, wanting to express their utter disbelief at the horror which had unfolded on their doorstep.
A picturesque church overlooked Duke Street, the scene of terror just hours previously.
Many in Whitehaven were still mourning the death of two schoolchildren in a coach crash last week when the horrific shootings happened.
