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| Britain falls silent in tribute to victims of Tunisia beach attack | Britain falls silent in tribute to victims of Tunisia beach attack |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Britain observed a minute’s silence on Friday as part of an official day of mourning for the tourists killed in a massacre on a Tunisian beach last week. | Britain observed a minute’s silence on Friday as part of an official day of mourning for the tourists killed in a massacre on a Tunisian beach last week. |
| Flags flew on official buildings at half-mast, and people across the country stopped what they were doing at midday to think about those killed by a gunman in the deadliest terror attack on Britons in nearly a decade. | Flags flew on official buildings at half-mast, and people across the country stopped what they were doing at midday to think about those killed by a gunman in the deadliest terror attack on Britons in nearly a decade. |
| Dozens of British tourists lined up on the beach in Sousse to watch the Tunisian prime minister, Habib Essid, join the British ambassador, Hamish Cowell, to lay wreaths at the spot where the massacre began. | Dozens of British tourists lined up on the beach in Sousse to watch the Tunisian prime minister, Habib Essid, join the British ambassador, Hamish Cowell, to lay wreaths at the spot where the massacre began. |
| Fresh flowers had been brought to replace those left throughout the week, which had dried and wilted in sun. | Fresh flowers had been brought to replace those left throughout the week, which had dried and wilted in sun. |
| Related: Tunisia beach attack: the victims | Related: Tunisia beach attack: the victims |
| Seven days ago Seifeddine Rezgui walked on to the beach at the El Kantaoui resort and opened fire. He killed 38 people – including 30 UK nationals – before police gunned him down. | Seven days ago Seifeddine Rezgui walked on to the beach at the El Kantaoui resort and opened fire. He killed 38 people – including 30 UK nationals – before police gunned him down. |
| The bodies of 17 British victims have been repatriated since Wednesday, all flown to RAF Brize Norton. More were expected to return on Friday and Saturday. Wounded Britons – including four with severe injuries – have already been brought back to the UK. | The bodies of 17 British victims have been repatriated since Wednesday, all flown to RAF Brize Norton. More were expected to return on Friday and Saturday. Wounded Britons – including four with severe injuries – have already been brought back to the UK. |
| David Cameron, the prime minister, had asked all government departments and official buildings in the UK, as well as embassies and military bases across the world, to fly their flags at half-mast for the day. | David Cameron, the prime minister, had asked all government departments and official buildings in the UK, as well as embassies and military bases across the world, to fly their flags at half-mast for the day. |
| PM: At midday I'll be joining millions stopping for a minute to remember the people murdered in Tunisia last week. pic.twitter.com/LOgHOWwkqb | PM: At midday I'll be joining millions stopping for a minute to remember the people murdered in Tunisia last week. pic.twitter.com/LOgHOWwkqb |
| Local authorities, police forces and schools were asked to observe the silence. In train stations, posters were put up and announcements made to remind passengers and staff. | Local authorities, police forces and schools were asked to observe the silence. In train stations, posters were put up and announcements made to remind passengers and staff. |
| The Queen paid her silent tribute at Strathclyde University, Glasgow, where she was opening an innovation centre. The royal party was touring the Institute for Future Cities when she stopped and stood in silent contemplation. | The Queen paid her silent tribute at Strathclyde University, Glasgow, where she was opening an innovation centre. The royal party was touring the Institute for Future Cities when she stopped and stood in silent contemplation. |
| Hundreds gathered outside Buckingham Palace in London where the band stopped playing in the middle of the changing of the guard. Union flags flew at half-mast there and at royal residences across the UK. | |
| Crowds and competitors fell silent at Wimbledon, Henley regatta, the British Grand Prix and the horse races in Doncaster, Newton Abbot, Sandown, Beverley and Haydock. | Crowds and competitors fell silent at Wimbledon, Henley regatta, the British Grand Prix and the horse races in Doncaster, Newton Abbot, Sandown, Beverley and Haydock. |
| The government also contacted faith leaders to encourage their congregations to join the country in remembrance. | The government also contacted faith leaders to encourage their congregations to join the country in remembrance. |
| On the sand outside the Imperial Marhaba hotel, where most of the tourists died, security was tight ahead of the beachfront ceremony. The sands were criss-crossed by police on horses and quad bikes. A coastguard cutter was stationed offshore. | On the sand outside the Imperial Marhaba hotel, where most of the tourists died, security was tight ahead of the beachfront ceremony. The sands were criss-crossed by police on horses and quad bikes. A coastguard cutter was stationed offshore. |
| Cowell was joined by a representative of the Tunisian government to lay wreaths around a spot where improvised memorials have continued to grow. Half a dozen had already been scooped out of the sand and arranged around a large heart-shaped depression, surrounded by flowers, candles and notes from well wishers. | Cowell was joined by a representative of the Tunisian government to lay wreaths around a spot where improvised memorials have continued to grow. Half a dozen had already been scooped out of the sand and arranged around a large heart-shaped depression, surrounded by flowers, candles and notes from well wishers. |
| At midday, the dignitaries there fell silent to join the period of remembrance taking place across the UK. | At midday, the dignitaries there fell silent to join the period of remembrance taking place across the UK. |
| Wimbledon | |
| Wimbledon delayed the start of play by 45 minutes to accommodate the national minute’s silence, the first time it has done so since the first anniversary of the July 7 bombings in 2006. | |
| Matches on the outer courts were pushed back to 12.15pm from 11.30am to avoid having to interrupt play, a move welcomed by tennis fans. | |
| “It’s the right decision by Wimbledon,” said Fiona Fenton from Sandhurst in Berkshire, who had queued with her daughter Kim since 6am to find a spot on the grass in front of the tournament’s outdoor screen. “It’s a British tragedy and I think this brings people closer in thoughts and compassion for the people who died.” | |
| Across the All England Club, spectators, security staff and club officials stopped where they were walking and stood with heads bowed. On Murray Mound, hundreds of tennis fans interrupted picnics and broke off conversations to rise to their feet, many removing baseball caps. There was absolute silence from the crowds, the only sound being the ripple of the small stream which runs down the slope and an aeroplane passing overhead. | |
| The silence concluded, there was a brief ripple of applause before Wimbledon returned to its usual bustle. Esther Addley | |
| King’s Cross station, central London | |
| Just before midday came the public announcement inviting the public to join the nation in a minute’s silence as a mark of respect to those killed in Tunisia. | |
| At midday, the hubbub at cavernous King’s Cross station subsided. Some who had been sitting sipping their coffees or reading the papers stood up. | |
| “I’ve always been a supporter of things like remembrance services,” said Vicky Ludbrook, who used to be in the Women’s Royal Naval Service. | |
| Ludbrook, who was waiting for her train to Morpeth, Northumberland, after attending Wimbledon for the first time, added after the minute had passed: “I was thinking of the families. It could happen to anyone really, no matter where you are.” Mark Tran |