Crowds gathered under umbrellas to stand in silence in honour of those who died in one of Britain's bloodiest battles.

Today marks 100 years since the Battle of the Somme.

A special vigil was held last night at the war memorial in Carlisle's Rickerby Park to mark the centenary of the start of the battle.

The evening got underway as members of the Carlisle Veteran Male Voice Choir were joined by those paying their respects to sing a range of wartime songs including Pack Up Your Troubles.

During the conflict, seven battalions of the Border Regiment fought in foreign fields.

Poems and prayers were read before The Last Post was played and the crowd took a moment to reflect on the campaign, which claimed more than 60,000 lives on July 1 alone - with 420,000 British soldiers lost by the time the battle ended.

Neville Howard, county president of the Royal British Legion, said: "It's something that should never be forgotten. The number of men who lost their lives in such circumstances is tragic."

Tony Parrini, who organised the event, said: "It's important that we remember that the Battle of the Somme probable caused the greatest loss of Cumbrian military lives in any campaign in our history.

"The Border Regiment was in the thick of the battle and so many local people lost family members between July and November 1916. We are pleased to provide an opportunity for remembrance."