Police believe they have found the body of a gunman who went on the rampage in the Lake District town of Whitehaven, leaving many dead.

Police warned all people across the popular tourist destination to stay indoors after the shootings which began in Duke Street in Whitehaven.
Police said they were hunting Derrick Bird, 52, from Rowrah, near Frizington, issued a photograph of him and urged anyone who saw him to dial 999.

At the scene of the shooting, a body lay covered by a black blanket outside a taxi rank guarded by police officers.

A Cumbria Police spokesman confirmed: "There are a number of fatalities and police are working to identify the individuals and inform relatives.Ambulance crews are in attendance across the area."

One witness said the gunman drove up alongside him at traffic lights by Whitehaven police station.

Alan Hannah, 68, of Great Broughton, told the Whitehaven News: "As I turned past the police station, I saw all these officers running out and realised something major was going on so I moved over to the right-hand lane. Then a car pulled up on the left, stopping at the lights.

"I saw a man with a large shotgun and his windscreen was smashed. I drove through the red light to get into Lowther Street and get out of the way. I got home safely but was very shaken."