John
06-10-2010, 06:53 AM
The first funeral of a victim of the Cumbria gun massacre is to be held.
Father-of-two Garry Purdham, 31, was shot dead while working in the fields at his father's farm outside Gosforth, a random victim of Derrick Bird's rampage.
His Scottish wife Ros, their sons, Flynn, aged two, and Cameron, aged eight, parents Jack and Bridget and brother and sister, Robert and Becky, will be joined by hundreds of mourners at St Mary's Church in Gosforth to pay their respects and say a final farewell.
The local farming community will be strongly represented, as branches of the Purdham family have farmed the area for generations. A strong presence is also expected from players, officials and fans of rugby league, as Mr Purdham played for both local amateur and professional clubs in the area.
His family have asked that those attending wear bright clothing and a PA system will broadcast the service outside to mourners in the church grounds. Reverend Jonathan Falkner, Rector of St Mary's, will preside over the funeral service, beginning at 11.45am and expected to last around 40 minutes.
Following the service a private cremation will be held at Distington Crematorium at around 1pm. Mr Purdham was the ninth victim of Derrick Bird, murdered while working at Low Boonwood Farm, just outside the village. Bird, 52, a taxi driver from nearby Rowrah, left twelve people dead and many more injured during his killing spree last Wednesday. He finally turned the gun on himself as police closed in.
The funerals of some of his other victims will be held in the coming days, starting with Mr Commons' funeral tomorrow at 12.15pm at St John's Church in Workington. On Monday at 2pm, Mr Pike's funeral will take place at Distington Hall Crematorium. On Tuesday, three more victims will be laid to rest - the Jacksons at St Mary's and St Michael's Church in Egremont at 11am and Mr Dixon's at St Mary's and St Michael's Church in Egremont at 2.30pm.
Mourners will say their final farewell to two more victims on Wednesday - Miss Robinson at St Cuthbert's Church in Seascale at 2.30pm and Mr Rewcastle at Distington Hall Crematorium at 1.15pm. Then on Thursday the funerals of Ms Hughes - at St Mary's and St Michael's Church in Egremont at 10.15am - and Mr Fishburn - at Distington Hall Crematorium at 2pm - will take place.
Meanwhile, the police watchdog said it accepted Cumbria Constabulary's decision not to refer the handling of Derrick Bird's shooting rampage to it for investigation. The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) said IPCC Commissioner Naseem Malik and director of investigations Moir Stewart met the Chief Constable of Cumbria Constabulary to receive a briefing. Cumbria Constabulary advised it did not believe there were any matters which required a referral to the IPCC at this stage.
Ms Malik said: "The events of Wednesday 2 June shocked the country and I would like to express my sympathies to those who lost loved ones. I appreciate that, following the incident, a number of questions about the police actions have been raised and the IPCC has been in regular dialogue with Cumbria Constabulary since last Wednesday. I received a thorough briefing covering the incidents and police responses in great detail and accept Cumbria Constabulary's decision not to refer at this stage."
Father-of-two Garry Purdham, 31, was shot dead while working in the fields at his father's farm outside Gosforth, a random victim of Derrick Bird's rampage.
His Scottish wife Ros, their sons, Flynn, aged two, and Cameron, aged eight, parents Jack and Bridget and brother and sister, Robert and Becky, will be joined by hundreds of mourners at St Mary's Church in Gosforth to pay their respects and say a final farewell.
The local farming community will be strongly represented, as branches of the Purdham family have farmed the area for generations. A strong presence is also expected from players, officials and fans of rugby league, as Mr Purdham played for both local amateur and professional clubs in the area.
His family have asked that those attending wear bright clothing and a PA system will broadcast the service outside to mourners in the church grounds. Reverend Jonathan Falkner, Rector of St Mary's, will preside over the funeral service, beginning at 11.45am and expected to last around 40 minutes.
Following the service a private cremation will be held at Distington Crematorium at around 1pm. Mr Purdham was the ninth victim of Derrick Bird, murdered while working at Low Boonwood Farm, just outside the village. Bird, 52, a taxi driver from nearby Rowrah, left twelve people dead and many more injured during his killing spree last Wednesday. He finally turned the gun on himself as police closed in.
The funerals of some of his other victims will be held in the coming days, starting with Mr Commons' funeral tomorrow at 12.15pm at St John's Church in Workington. On Monday at 2pm, Mr Pike's funeral will take place at Distington Hall Crematorium. On Tuesday, three more victims will be laid to rest - the Jacksons at St Mary's and St Michael's Church in Egremont at 11am and Mr Dixon's at St Mary's and St Michael's Church in Egremont at 2.30pm.
Mourners will say their final farewell to two more victims on Wednesday - Miss Robinson at St Cuthbert's Church in Seascale at 2.30pm and Mr Rewcastle at Distington Hall Crematorium at 1.15pm. Then on Thursday the funerals of Ms Hughes - at St Mary's and St Michael's Church in Egremont at 10.15am - and Mr Fishburn - at Distington Hall Crematorium at 2pm - will take place.
Meanwhile, the police watchdog said it accepted Cumbria Constabulary's decision not to refer the handling of Derrick Bird's shooting rampage to it for investigation. The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) said IPCC Commissioner Naseem Malik and director of investigations Moir Stewart met the Chief Constable of Cumbria Constabulary to receive a briefing. Cumbria Constabulary advised it did not believe there were any matters which required a referral to the IPCC at this stage.
Ms Malik said: "The events of Wednesday 2 June shocked the country and I would like to express my sympathies to those who lost loved ones. I appreciate that, following the incident, a number of questions about the police actions have been raised and the IPCC has been in regular dialogue with Cumbria Constabulary since last Wednesday. I received a thorough briefing covering the incidents and police responses in great detail and accept Cumbria Constabulary's decision not to refer at this stage."