Funeral for gun massacre victim
The first funeral of a victim of the Cumbria gun massacre will be held today.
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.
Today his family will be joined by hundreds of mourners at St Mary’s Church in Gosforth to pay their respects and say a final farewell.
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 12 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.
