By Dominic Bailey BBC News Online in Barrow-in-Furness

Bunting and plastic Union flags still hang in Barrow-in-Furness town centre left over from Jubilee celebrations in the town.

But right now nobody feels like celebrating.

The outbreak of Legionnaires' disease, which has infected 64 people and left one man dead, has rocked the humble coastal town on the south western corner of the Lake District.

Most disturbing is perhaps the lottery way in which people appear to have contracted the disease.

Barrow is trying to get back to normal

A ventilation duct on the wall of the council-run Forum 28 arts centre is believed to have been belching out infected steam into a small alleyway.

Hundreds of people use the shortcut everyday and so far the numbers of casualties are nowhere near that extreme.

Investigations into the maintenance of the duct are under way and people are still being admitted to hospitals.

Waiting

Linda Rainey's husband Michael was admitted to Furness General Hospital and treated for pneumonia on Wednesday - two days before the outbreak was made public.

"When I heard on Thursday I phoned up to say we had been in Forum 28 and in the alley on the Monday and the Monday before that," said Linda.

"Then they started treating him for Legionnaires' but we haven't had the diagnosis yet."

In the hospital, a sense of uncertainty hangs in the air as relatives and friends wait to find out if the symptoms are actually Legionnaires' disease, or as many hope, an unfortunate coincidence.

But in the town centre at least, people are trying to get back to normal.

The arts centre and and adjacent tourist information office remain closed and under police guard.

Chris Kirk: Feels let down by council

But the alleyway is open although the ventilation duct has long been switched off.

Saturday afternoon in the centre was compared to a "ghost town" but newspaper sellers reported high sales as people tried to gather what information they could.

However by Monday, shoppers were back on the streets, if a little cautious.

Chris Kirk, 40, out with his wife Catherine and their baby daughter Lucy, said he was shocked by the news.

"I've been walking down there for months from work, to work, with the baby, so it was a shock now to think that you were taking your life in your own hands every time you came into town," he said.

"I feel a little bit let down by the council but that is the same with a lot of things - it doesn't get fixed until it breaks down."

He said Barrow has never had a high profile compared to other towns in the Lake District and was often the butt of north country jokes - being stuck out on a limb and in "a 30-mile cul-de-sac".

"This business isn't going to help," he added.

Many use the alleyway as a short cut

His wife Catherine, 37, said the problem should have been spotted sooner.

"Even ordinary people noticed steam coming out long before, so any council officers walking past must have known something wasn't quite right."

Teenagers Sarah Pringle and Lauren Sanders, both 16, said they had been worried, but that had eased enough not to stop them using the alley as their usual short cut to work.

"How many people have used it the last couple of weeks?" said Lauren. "You just don't know where it could happen."

Some businesses have noticed a difference in trade.

Maxine Steele, serving at the bakers in the indoor market said Saturday and Monday were both quieter than usual.

Resilient

But, along with family GPs, pharmacist William Tattershall has had a busy weekend with prescriptions for people thought to be infected.

"People seem to be taking it quite calmly," he said.

"They feel it has been handled quite well by the health authority.

"It is a very resilient community and people will take it in their stride."

Newspaper vendor John Proudfoot, 59, said people were very apprehensive but he also had confidence in the Barrovians' local spirit.

"We have a very strong character and sense of humour in the town," he said.