THE community of Ulverston came to a standstill on Tuesday morning to mourn the death of the Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother.

More than 50 people gathered around the Market Cross in Market Street for a short service led by Rural Dean and St Mary's Hospice chaplain the Rev Danny Sanderson.

Many traders in the town also made a mark of respect by closing for a period of time between 10.30am and 1pm.

Those that did not close held a two minutes silence at 11.30am.

As mourners in the town bowed their heads in silence, highland piper, Robbie Byrne, who has played for the Queen and the Queen Mother on numerous occasions when he was a Scots Guardsman, marched into the town playing, A Dark Island.

A handful of mourners, listening to the short prayer by Mr Sanderson, had tears in their eyes as they remembered the nations' favourite grandmother.

Mr Byrne, who said he never actually spoke to the Queen Mother but had nodded to her when performing at a state banquet, played, Flowers in the Forest, as the crowds disbursed to go home to watch the funeral on television.

One Ulverston resident who made a special trip into town for the service, Margery Butler, said: "I feel like the rest of the country, very sad about her death.

She led a wonderful life for the country and for most of the world.

" When I walking into town through The Gill I felt like I shouldn't be out, as it was so quiet everywhere.

It is so nice to see that it has affected the young people as she touched so many people."

Another well wisher from Ulverston, Olive, Ellershaw said: " It is absolutely amazing to see the number of shops that have closed as a mark of respect.

I came into town especially for the service because I thought if something has been organised then I should show my mark of respect.

She was a wonderful woman."