Queen Elizabeth II: Cumbria pays tribute and mourns the monarch's death

Tributes have poured in from across Cumbria for Queen Elizabeth II, who has died at the age of 96.

She came to the county on a number of occasions, first visiting in 1958 and returning in 2002 during her Golden Jubilee celebrations and again in 2013.

MPs, civic and religious leaders, businesses, sports clubs, and the county's residents have expressed condolences.

Westmorland and Lonsdale MP Tim Farron said he was "utterly heartbroken".

The Queen was "much loved by all of us in Cumbria" and had been a "constant fixture of our entire lives", he said.

Penrith MP Dr Neil Hudson said the Queen was a "shining example to us all", while Carlisle MP John Stevenson said she had been "one of the greatest monarchs" in history.

"She led our country and the Commonwealth with dedication, love and skill for 70 years," he said.

The Bishop of Carlisle, the Right Reverend James Newcome, paid tribute to the Queen's dedication to "the service of this nation" and said she had "never faltered".

He remarked upon her strong Christian faith, which he said was evident both in her "thousands and thousands of public engagements" and in her Christmas broadcasts, which he said had "brought encouragement and hope to so many people" over the years.

"I've also been constantly struck by her great personal warmth and kindness and that will be missed by everybody," he added.

People living in the county have taken to social media to reflect on the Queen's often remarked-upon warmth and kindness, saying she was "built into the wallpaper of our lives".

Many said they had felt she would be "always there" and were sad "because we feel like we've lost a relative".

Cumbria's Police and Crime Commissioner, Peter McCall, said flags at force buildings were being flown at half-mast and communities would be "supported during their time of mourning".

Chief Constable Michelle Skeer said there was "a sombre mood" across the force.

"As Crown Servants, it is a particularly poignant moment for the policing family," she said.

"We will remember her for the example she set in her role serving the public."

Councils in the county have arranged for books of condolence to be placed in community buildings and for flowers to be laid in commemoration.

The Mayor of Allerdale, Allan Daniels, said he remembered "vividly as a seven-year-old boy sitting in a crowded living room of the only house on our street that had a television" to watch the Queen's coronation.

"The 70 years of her extraordinary reign has seen immense changes in our world but, throughout, she was an unwavering figurehead for our nation and the Commonwealth, providing wise words and a steady hand," he said.

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