Newtown Asks For Time To Grieve In Peace

Enough. We have had enough.

The people of Newtown have asked the media for more privacy as families continue to lay their children to rest.

The slaughter of so many six and seven-year-old children inevitably drew massive media interest all over the world. It was also a story with far-reaching implications.

Almost instantly this small town was swamped with satellite trucks, inquisitive journalists and camera crews.

Many are parked up on the doorstep of the town hall which doubles up as the local cinema.

Tom Mahoney runs the building and also works voluntarily in the library at Sandy Hook Elementary School.

The town hall is opposite the funeral home where one of the first two children was laid to rest on Monday.

Masses of cameras were present, with some competing to record every aspect of the service.

Mr Mahoney felt the competition went too far.

He told Sky News: "People need their privacy at a time like this and to be able to grieve without having to have the cameras in their faces.

"I thought it was totally inappropriate.

"I think as the week goes on there is going to be some problems because some of these folks are not going to settle for what is going on here - I think the press need to back off."

Every Monday Mr Mahoney volunteers to help run the library at Sandy Hook Elementary school - he knows every teacher and almost every student that died.

He believes most news organisations have shown respect to the community but the sheer numbers have seemed overwhelming to locals.

He added: "Once all these folks pull out the bottom is going to fall out of this and the reality is going to set in and it is going to be a long hard healing process."