The North West Evening Mail put out a special edition on Friday after Gordon Park was found guilty in the Lady in the Lake trial.

It was on sale shortly after 5.30pm - less than two hours after the verdict was delivered.

The Mail also became a morning paper on Saturday, producing an 8am edition containing 13 pages of reports and reaction to the verdict. Some 8,000 extra copies were printed.

Editor Steve Brauner said the editorial team finished putting the 48-page morning edition to bed at about 8.30pm and he took them to the Travellers Club next door to the Mail building for a well-earned drink.

Then they got news that fire crews were fighting a huge blaze at a former working mens' club in a suburb of the town. Deputy chief sub Frank Cassidy, assistant news editor Paul Turner and Steve all went back into the office, while chief photographer Sheenah Alcock and reporter Sophie Abbot went up to the scene.

They then re-wrote page seven of the special edition and included three spectacular pictures and a 500 word report - and finally sent it at 11.15pm.

Steve said: "The whole town was on tenterhooks waiting for the Lady in the Lake verdict.

"Most people felt Park was probably guilty but they evidence seemed so circumstantial they thought he would get off.

"A guilty verdict, therefore, came as a surprise to many.

"This case dates back 29 years and has become part of the folklore of the town.

"Cumbria Constabulary will surely rate this as one of their greatest moments, when dogged and painstaking police work finally paid off.

"We spoke to some of Park's neighbours on Friday night who praised him to the skies and didn't have a bad word to say. They were disappointed that he wasn't going to be coming home for quite a while."

The Mail's website also carried the breaking news, and flagged up the Mail's special edition which carried the 13 pages of reports and pictures, as well as the first instalment of a three-part special supplement.

Parts two and three are free with the Evening Mail today and tomorrow and contain backgrounders with details of the case the jury never heard.