BEACON office staff joined in with other businesses in town and fell silent for a minute on Monday 16th of November as a mark of respect for those who were killed in Paris last week.

Some shops, including W H Smiths and Fat Face had a notice on their doors reminding their customers they would be taking part in the silence, as well as Nat West Bank and the Halifax who also remembered the 129 people killed by gunmen.

Other shops, Green and Jerks and Fancy Freds, displayed the ‘Tricolore’ the French flag whose three colours have become an international symbol of sympathy for the country who only earlier this year was the target of a terrorist attack on a magazine headquarters and killed 12. That prompted a worldwide ‘Je suis Charlie’ tribute in solidarity with the magazine whose satirical cartoon was blamed by ISIS for the killings.

Schools also played their part with Monmouth Comprehensive School observing a one minute silence in all assemblies every day this week, as well as tweeting their support at 11am on Monday 16th.

Raglan school held a very moving assembly in school Monday morning where the Baptist minister Rob Atkins sang a well-known French worship song and encouraged the children to sing the line, "Dieu fera tout comme il promet" - God will keep his promises.

Cross Ash school held a minute’s silence on the infants yard and Osbaston School, amongst others, held a moment of reflection.

At Monmouth School, prayers for the victims of the Paris attacks and their families and world peace were led by the Head Boy in this morning’s assembly. At HMSG, prayers and silent reflection on the attacks took place in assembly, led by the Chaplain, Rev’d David Ibbotson.