LANCASTER and Morecambe will grind to a halt this Saturday as mourners pay their last respects to Diana, Queen of People's Hearts. Lancaster City Council has announced the closure of local facilities on Saturday morning and a special memorial service will be held at Lancaster Priory. The Rev. Peter Ballard said the service will start at 9.30am to give people plenty of time to get back home to watch the funeral due to be held at Westminster Abbey.

He said: "The service will be an opportunity for people to come and share their sadness and give thanks for her life.

"It will be attended by representatives of various churches.

Already hundreds of local people have recorded their own personal heart-felt tributes to the princess in civic books of condolences. Lancaster and Morecambe town halls will stay open until 8pm tomorrow and from 2pm-5pm on Saturday. The books will be sent to Buckingham Palace. Meanwhile the mayor of Lancaster, Coun Hilda Shuttleworth, has sent letters of sympathy to the Queen, the Prince of Wales and Princess Alexandra.

Princess Alexandra has strong links with the university and Prince Charles is an Honorary Freeman of the City.

Morecambe's MP Geraldine Smith said she was planning to go to London on Saturday. "I think it was a great shock. Diana was such a compassionate person. The work she has done to help under-privileged children and the homeless showed she really cared about people. I think the people of my constituency will want me to be in London."

Hilton Dawson, MP for Lancaster said: "Like the rest of us I was in a state of shock on Sunday. She was vibrant and full of life with concerns for the rest of humanity." Salt Ayre sports centre, Lancaster Market, the City and Maritime Museums, tourist information centres, the Co-op Late Shops and facilities in Williamson Park will be closed until 2pm on Saturday. Morecambe Festival market will be closed all day.

Morecambe's football match against Stevenage has been rearranged for Sunday, kick off 3pm. The Dolly Blues have cancelled their match against Winsford, to be re-arranged at a later date.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.