Lake District is now dangerous for tourists

One of the UK’s most popular tourist destinations, the Lake District, has been left shattered after a crazed gunman went on the rampage, killing at least twelve people, including his mother, and injuring 25 others, before turning the gun on himself.

Police have named the gunman as self-employed taxi driver, Derrick Bird, 52, from the local village of Rowrah.

Armed with two weapons - a .22 rifle and a shotgun - Bird drove down the coast from Whitehaven where the first attacks took place, leaving a trail of carnage in his wake.
Locals as well as tourists staying in the area were warned to stay indoors as police followed the deadly route, discovering more bodies as they went. At one point Bird abandoned his Citroen Picasso for another car which he then crashed near woods in the picturesque Lake District town of Boot. The body of Bird together with his guns were found nearby.

Throughout the afternoon witnesses came forward with harrowing tales of the trail of destruction left by Bird.

Source: BTN

02.06.10