THE people of Worcester stood shoulder to shoulder today (Friday), united against terrorism as they fell silent to remember those slain during the beach massacre in Tunisia.

Some fought back the tears as people from across the city honoured the minute’s silence at noon, a week after a gunman opened fire, killing 30 British people.

Those murdered included University of Worcester student Joel Richards, aged 19, slain alongside his uncle Adrian Evans and grandfather Charles 'Patrick' Evans, 78, in Sousse, while Joel's 16-year-old brother Owen survived the attack.

Students and staff who knew Joel personally honoured him during an act of remembrance at the University Arena at 11.30am today.

Flags over Worcester Guildhall and Worcester Cathedral were lowered as a mark of respect for the dead.

The Very Reverend Peter Atkinson, Dean of Worcester, said: “Here at the cathedral we’re very much aware of those that have been touched by this terrible event.

“It was a tragedy for many families but among those we are specially aware of Joel Richards, because he was a student at the university here.

“People came to the cathedral as they wanted to share a moment of quiet remembrance and prayer.”

Visibly emotional retired Methodist minister Rev John Glover, aged 77, attended the minute’s silence at the cathedral.

He said: “What happened in Tunisia was such an awful event, both for those that were there and the families back home.

“It was such a terrible event so when they said this was happening we wanted to come here to the cathedral to observe the minute’s silence.

“I think it was important to stand alongside those that are suffering.

“The service was very powerful and very moving.”

Police officers and support staff also observed the silence outside their Castle Street headquarters.

Superintendent Kevin Purcell was one of more than 50 police officers, uniformed and non-uniformed, who observed the silence outside Castle Street in Worcester at noon today.

Supt Purcell said: “My staff and I were keen to show their respect to those that died and were injured and their families.

"We understand how tragedy can strike without notice. However even by that standard, this is a shocking event and we pass on our sympathies to all those who have suffered.”

The British victims were among 38 holidaymakers who were killed by Seifeddine Rezgui when he opened fire in the resort of Sousse.

The bodies of 17 of the 30 British victims killed in the beach massacre have been returned to the UK and eight more will be flown into RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire today, the Foreign Office said, with the final five returning tomorrow.

Armed police patrolled the beach where the massacre happened while dozens of tourists also gathered around a sea of flowers at the scene of the attacks.

It is believed Rezgui - who was shot dead by police - had accomplices who helped him to carry out the atrocity and the Tunisian government said it had made a number of arrests.

At Walsall Football Club the entire playing squad and manager Dean Smith joined supporters to remember three generations of one family killed in the atrocity.

Owen Richards and his mother Suzanne were joined by hundreds of supporters from the club for the minute's silence, gathering around the entrance to the club's Banks's Stadium where there is now a carpet of flowers and Walsall flags and shirts, as well as from local teams Aston Villa and Birmingham City in memory of the three.

Joel was a talented young referee, and a member of the Birmingham County Football Association referee's department blew a whistle to mark the start and end of the silence, before the club's chaplain Peter Hart said a short prayer.

The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh observed the silence as they visited the University of Strathclyde's Technology and Innovation Centre, while Prime Minister David Cameron marked the moment in his Oxfordshire constituency.

Mosques across the UK also fell silent to mark the occasion as Muslims paid their own tributes during the holy month of Ramadan.