A cathedral has remembered its resident peregrine falcon, which has died.
Members of the Carlisle Cathedral community and residents are mourning the death of the animal, with an outpouring of memories of the falcon coming after the death was announced on Tuesday 13 October.
The Venerable Michael Everitt, Interim Dean of Carlisle, said: "We are very sad to learn of the death of the peregrine falcon. She was a delight and brought joy to us all.
"We were with her on Monday night after she had been found on Castle Street, until the Cumberland Bird of Prey Centre came to take care of her”.
Prayers in the wake of the falcon’s death were held during Tuesday’s Evensong service.
Carlisle Cathedral found the falcon on Monday 12 October and called a falconer from Cumberland Bird of Prey Centre, Gary Swainson, to take the bird in.
Swainson took the peregrine to the vets, but the bird of prey died soon afterwards.
No injuries were found in the well-known bird of prey regularly seen in the heart of the Cumbrian city, with old age expected to be the cause of her death according to Swainson.
The falconer said: "She has been an iconic character in Carlisle and photographs of her have been posted regularly on various Carlisle web pages.
"A lot of people had an interest in her. She appeared on my social media pages a lot. She was quite famous within the community”.
Comments on Carlisle Cathedral’s Facebook tribute to the female falcon saw Cumbrians pay tribute to their clawed friend.
Max Brown said: “It’ll probably take a bit of work, but why not make a gargoyle statue and put it up where it perched as a nice tribute.
“I always perceived the Holy Spirit to take the form of an eagle or eagle-adjacent specimen , and so it was always quite fitting to see that’s where the falcon was so at home, in the house of God”.
“God bless you and fly high and with grace into the clouds”, Pippa Potts added.
“Well that's me in tears! A little statue or carving of her would be a nice touch to remember her by”, Vicky Akitt commented lastly.