I had an email late last night from my friend who lives in Seascale

[dothawkes31]

At the time she wrote it she was unable to sleep, she says the village was cut off and all roads blicked as at the time of writing, 10.52, the bodies had not been moved. She says her phone has never stopped , she is well known in the village as she is the leader of a reading group and a local accountant, and she did know one of the victims, it's the most lovely village, so quiet, and even with the trains along the seafront there is never any disruption. To think that some thing like that could happen to a village where everyone knows everyone and many of them have family roots there going back over centuries, it;s going to hit them so hard. I am visiting her in August, just as i did last summer, it will be months before they feel a recovery effect from this tragedy and they must wonder where to turn.

[paddywak]

what makes it worse is that, even though this sort of thing has happened before , at Hungerford for example people tend to think of this type of event as being something that happens in America, not a British seaside town. All we can do is extend our sympathy to the families and hope the people in hospital can make a full recovery

[B00]

"To think that some thing like that could happen to a village where everyone knows everyone and many of them have family roots there going back over centuries, it;s going to hit them so hard."

Isn't it a tragedy wherever it happens?

[dothawkes31]

yes but knowing who everyone is is not a protection against it happening

[B00]

Eh?

think you're missing my point, or I was missing yours :-)

I got the impression you were saying it was a tragedy as it happened in a little village type place where everyone knows everyone else.

I was just making the point that it would be equally as tragic if it happened in an inner city where no one knew anyone else.

[Prudie]

This was horrific and my thoughts are with everyone affected. What I don't understand is that it seemed they knew who it was from the first shooting and what car he was in so how did he manage to travel about for another 3 hours shooting people without being caught?

[jackthehat]

Cumbria has the smallest police force in UK.
Have you been to the Lake District, Prudie.
There are numerous tracks and roadways up and down the hills and being a Taxi driver, he would have known them all.
I should think that by the time the police had been called to a scene and made their way there, he'd have been off on the next one................

[Dris]

Lets hope this doesnt turn into a finger pointing exercise.No-one can pre-empt or be on red alert for such an atrocity.
Im relieved your friend is safe Dot.
I never fail to be shocked by any such carnage wherever it ocurs in the world -almost too much to take in :(

[Booldawg]

I think it will take alot longer for the community to recover and to function as a community due to it being small and close knit than if it happened in a large city.

[marval]

This was a terrible tragedy, it will take a long time for people to get over it. My thoughts are with all those affected, especially those who have lost loved ones.

[joeluke]

JTH is correct here, I'm from South Cumbria and have travelled through the relevant areas many times.

There is one main road right up the west coast of the county (A595), the other roads in the area are minor A and B roads

Many of the towns and villages do not have manned police stations. The police will always have been at least one step behind the killer.

The area in which he committed suicide is extremely remote, sparsely populated, very popular with walkers and hikers

[boxtops]

It seems to be coming out tonight on the news that the earlier killings were premeditated, he killed his twin and solicitor first. There seems to be more to this than we yet know about.

[Mctavish]

I am sorry, but I think the last post from Jatte is absolutely disgusting.

[Booldawg]

It was something to do with a disagreement with his Mums will. I dont think his Mums even dead yet. Sounds like he had a falling out with his brother over it and was unhinged enough to decide to kill him and the family solicitor. They were killed first. I think he had it in mind to kill himself as well. These were pre-meditated. I'm not sure if the innocent people he killed/wounded were part of the plan. I guess he lost it after the initial 2 killings.

[joeluke]

"They're full of weird inhabitants just waiting to kick off. None of them looked normal on the news"

Jatte......they are normal everyday folk you find in any town or village across Britain

Plank

[NoMercy]

Jatte is starting to sound ever more like his alter ego, Newsdesk...

[DrFilth]

most evil thing on planet earth is the human mind

[dothawkes31]

I;ve just had another email from my friend there and I have copied a small part to add here, (probably get blasted for posting something so personal but I think is a good view point and i asked her if she minded and she said not at all.)

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Inevitably, in such a small community you either know a victim or know someone who was closely connected to them. Today has been most upsetting when speaking to people who have lost close friends or family. Nick hasn 't known any of the victims personally and I only know two of the people who were not close friends but people I occasionally meet with - Jane Robinson was one of Seascale's eccentrics and such a lovely person. I cannot imagine how her twin is going to cope. Today I've been with people who have lost life-long friends and their distress is very upsetting. But, everyone is so supportive of each other and life is returning to normal - you almost feel ashamed about that. Nick and I sat in the garden this morning looking out over the sea - it was a beautiful morning and then I noticed the flag flying at half mast - it made me laugh because it was the Jolly Roger - which has been flying at the boatyard for half term - it seemed so sweet that even such a flag had been lowered as a sign of respect. I think Jane in particular would really have appreciated it.

We are inundated with the media - I think they find the people of Seascale (and probably the rest of Cumbria) very unhelpful. Some of it is so intrusive it makes people close ranks - a stranger walking into a room is enough to make conversation stop. Unfair, I suppose because we look to the media for information but don't want the hype which accompanies it.
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[Mctavish]

Thank you Dot for sharing that with us -