CONDOLENCE books to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II are being placed at key community buildings around Cumbria.

The list of locations will be available shortly via the Cumbria County Council website.

A number of flags located around South Lakeland will be flown at half-mast until 8am on the day following the State Funeral, except while the proclamation of the new King is made.

Condolence can also be left online on the Buckingham Palace e-Book, which can be found on the Buckingham Palace website.

The official proclamation will be made at St James’s Palace tomorrow, then at the Royal Exchange in the City of London.

The following day the proclamation will be made in Edinburgh, Cardiff and Belfast before being cascaded to county, city, district and parish level.

In Cumbria, the County proclamation will be held in Carlisle, followed by district proclamations in Barrow, Carlisle, Kendal, Penrith, Whitehaven and Workington.  

A proclamation will be made in South Lakeland outside Kendal Town Hall.

Details of exact timings will be confirmed shortly and residents and any visitors to South Lakeland are advised to visit the South Lakeland District Council (SLDC) or Cumbria County Council websites for more details.

The laying of flowers in South Lakeland is suggested to take place at:

* Queens Park in Windermere

* Ford Park and Lightburn Park in Ulverston

* Rothay Park in Ambleside

* The Glebe in Bowness

* Kendal Parish Church – on grass to the right of path from Kirkland

* Kendal Abbott Hall

It is preferred that no cellophane wrappers be left with the flowers, if possible. Further details regarding the laying of flowers can be found on the Cumbria County Council website.

Councillor Jonathan Brook, Leader of South Lakeland District Council, led the South Lakeland tributes.

He said: “South Lakeland joins the rest of the country, and the world, in remembering a Queen who has been an inspirational figurehead for so many years. Our sympathy goes out to her family for their personal loss.

“Her Majesty the Queen will always have a very special place in the hearts and minds of the people of South Lakeland.

“She was a frequent visitor to Cumbria and it was always our great pleasure to welcome her whenever she came to South Lakeland.

“As well as being our longest reigning monarch Queen Elizabeth has always shown great leadership and courage and always displayed a set of values that we could all aspire to.

“She was kind, considerate, caring and constant to her own principles in life. She put our country and the needs of its people above all else and as such was rewarded with unswerving loyalty and commitment from those who knew her, those who supported her and even those who were not supporters of the monarchy as even they could not fail to respect her.

“We are fortunate that her successor, Prince Charles has long been a supporter of our county and we know our area has a special place in his heart. We hope that as our new Monarch, this special relationship will continue to develop and grow.’’

Councillor Matthew Severn, Vice Chairman of South Lakeland District Council, added his tribute: “This is indeed a sad day and a day of national, and international mourning.

“Her Majesty the Queen was an inspiration to so many and her tenure has been truly incredible with her reign being recognised as the longest and greatest that this country has ever seen.

“I want to pass on my sympathy, and the sympathy of the district of South Lakeland, to the Royal family who we must also think of at this time of great personal loss. Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth will be sadly missed and will be recorded as one of the most remarkable monarchs that this country has ever seen.”