A ceremony to represent the feeling of darkness that came over Europe on the eve of Britain officially entering the First World War was held in Workington.

Celia Tibble, mayor of Allerdale, lit and and extinguished four candles representing the four years of war.

The ceremony was held at Allerdale House on Commonwealth Day.

Councillor Tibble said: "The lamps are going out all over Europe, we shall not see them lit again in our lifetime - Sir Edward Grey, foreign secretary, uttered these words in the eve of Britain officially entering the First World War.

"Hundred years later we are invited to join together in a moment of reflection.

"By extinguishing the candles we are symbolically representing the feeling of darkness that came over Europe 100 years ago."

Coun Tibble read the war poem December 21st by Canon Rawnsley, who is remembered in the Lake District as one of the pioneers of the National Trust.

The poem was written in honour of two West Cumbrian soldiers serving with the Border Regiment who were awarded the Victoria Cross for rescuing two fellow soldiers on December 21, 2014.

Coun Tibble said: "Any act that we make remembering the war is to keep the memory of it alive.
"This is a civic memory, not a military one, it's different from the remembrance.

"In fact we don't have the red poppy, we have the flowers of peace, white poppies, forget-me-not and white roses.

"It's important to have these acts because we're getting to a point where there is no living memory of the First World War."