Cameron prepares to visit shocked county

Mr Cameron said the local community where Derrick Bird carried out his murders had been through "appalling suffering".

But, speaking at Downing Street, he cautioned against "knee-jerk" demands for tougher gun laws.

The Prime Minister said: "All of us should be thinking of the people of West Cumbria, of the appalling suffering that they went through.

"We must do absolutely everything to complete this investigation, to make sure that everything is done to make sure that events like this cannot happen again in our country, and to help bring those communities back together."

Mr Cameron will be joined in Cumbria by Home Secretary Theresa May, who yesterday told the House of Commons that everyone would be searching for the answers to ensure such a massacre could never happen again and acknowledged the killings would "undoubtedly prompt a debate about our country's gun laws".

She added: "That is understandable and, indeed, it is right and proper.

"But it would be wrong to react before we know the full facts. We must remember the innocent people who were taken from us as they went about their lives.

"Then we must allow the police time to complete their investigations."

Labour Shadow Home Secretary Alan Johnson sent his condolences to the families and friends of those killed in the "awful, tragic" events and praised the police and emergency services who had performed "magnificently" as he called for firearms laws to be reviewed.

"These are dark times for a strong and close-knit community renowned for the beauty of its surroundings and the warmth and friendliness of its people," he said. "They will recover from these recent tragedies, but the help and support of everyone in this House and those we represent will be essential."

The region's MPs also spoke about the massacre, as Labour's Tony Cunningham, MP for Workington, said now was the time to grieve after "the blackest day in the history of Cumbria".

Tory Rory Stewart, MP for Penrith and The Border said: "Quite rightly, we here in the House and elsewhere express shock, but in Cumbria this is something that touches every life."