Gunman's mother to write to victim's families

The mother of the gunman Derrick Bird has said she plans to write to the families of her son's victims.

The taxi driver killed 12 people, including his twin brother David, and injured 11 others during his rampage on 2 June.

The funeral of David Bird took place earlier, but Mary Bird, 87, was in hospital and "too frail" to attend.

Mourners were told that she was "very determined" to send out letters of condolence.

Speaking at the service at St Mary's Church in Lamplugh, the Rev Jim Marshall said: "She said she'd been thinking it over and asked me to help compose letters to every one of the families who were bereaved.

"She is very, very determined about that."

More than 500 mourners, including the twins' older brother Brian Bird, and Derrick Bird's elder son Graeme, 28, attended the funeral.

A duplicate service was held at Mrs Bird's hospital bedside so she could follow the order of service at the same time.

Taxi driver Derrick Bird is believed to have shot his twin brother first. He then went on to kill the family's solicitor and a colleague at the Whitehaven taxi rank.

Other people were killed and injured during what police believe to be random attacks as he drove around west Cumbria.

The 52-year-old was later found in remote woodland after turning the gun on himself.