Multi-faith ceremony for murdered Drummer Lee Rigby

A multi-faith ceremony in remembrance of Drummer Lee Rigby has been held near his barracks in Woolwich.

Drummer Rigby was murdered at the Royal Artillery barracks in south-east London in May.

Representatives of all the major faiths attended a service at Woolwich Central Baptist Church.

A wreath was also placed at the site of Drummer Rigby's attack and a collection taken for a Peace Monument designed by an artist from the area.

Event organiser Wilson Chowdhry, president of the British Pakistani Christian Association (BPCA), said: "When news broke of the barbaric brutal murder of an off-duty soldier in broad daylight on a busy London street I shuddered.

"Although, sad to say, the BPCA has become accustomed to similar stories of cowardly assassinations in Pakistan I never for one moment ever expected to hear of such atrocities happening so close to home, here on the streets of London."

Ranbir Singh, of the Hindu Human Rights Group, added: "The individual tears we shed in remembrance of Drummer Lee Rigby will water the seed of hope for a world where hatred and violence has no place."

Numerous Muslim groups have also condemned the attack on 22 May in strong terms.

As Drummer Rigby lay dying, Amanda Donnelly and her daughter Gemini ran to his side.

In an interview with The Sunday People, Mrs Donnelly said: "I started thinking about his mum. I thought, 'This poor boy, his mum doesn't need to see this.'

"So I just stayed there to protect him and rubbed his back. It was just a mother's instinct really."

Michael Adebolajo, 28, from Romford, east London, and Michael Adebowale, 22, of Greenwich, south-east London, have been charged with Drummer Rigby's murder.