People pause across the city to pay respects to London terror attack victims

Workers at 1000 Lakeside marking the minute's silence for the victim's of the weekend's terror attack in London

Workers, students and pensioners united yesterday as part of the nationwide one-minute silence.

It came after three terrorists killed seven people and injured 48 others in an attack on the nation’s capital on Saturday.

Mourners gathered to pay their respects at a service in Guildhall Square, in Portsmouth’s city centre.

And at 1000 Lakeside, North Harbour, workers stepped out of their offices and gathered in the business hub’s main atrium to join the silence.

Among them was Carol Prideaux, of Havant. The 60-year-old said: ‘Today showed that we’re all strong.

‘We’re not got to let the terrorists get us down. They want to see our country crumble to pieces and we’re not having it.

‘We’re stronger united.’

Chris Briggs, 34, was also among those paying their respects at Lakeside.

He said: ‘We just all muck in together in hard times.

‘If we all start arguing and causing turmoil, then things will start to spiral out of control very quickly.

‘It’s important we show a united front and show that the terrorists won’t beat us.’

Elsewhere in the city, a service was held at Portsmouth Guildhall.

Portsmouth City Council leader Donna Jones said: ‘I think the key thing about having a minute’s silence is to show a mark of respect to those who died.

‘And what’s important to me is that if leaders have learnt anything from the atrocities on Saturday night, it’s that this really can no longer continue.

‘The government has had a wake-up call and funding for police and counter terrorism services is absolutely vital.

‘They will be underfunded at the government’s own peril.’

Hundreds of people also observed a minute’s silence in London at the scene of the terror attack on London Bridge.

All three terrorists who launched their assault on the capital were shot dead by armed police within eight minutes of the attack starting.

Cllr Jones continued: ‘I hope whoever the prime minister and home secretary are on Friday make statements very early on in government about funding for police services, and make it a number one priority.

‘I think we can expect an increase in the home office budget, so police have the resources they need.

‘Very important lessons have been learned now.’

Home secretary Amber Rudd has rejected suggestions that a decline in the number of police officers had made the UK more vulnerable to terrorism.