Lee Rigby memorial plaque approved for Greenwich

Greenwich Council says it is important to consult widely when erecting a memorial to someone

A memorial plaque to murdered soldier Lee Rigby has been approved for the London borough where he was killed outside his barracks in Woolwich.

The 25-year-old fusilier was killed by Islamist extremists on a busy street in the afternoon on 22 May 2013.

A bronze drum and memorial plaque was unveiled in his home town of Middleton, Greater Manchester, in March.

The Royal Borough of Greenwich has now confirmed it will also provide a plaque to honour Fusilier Rigby.

Mr Rigby, who served with the 2nd Battalion the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers, is one of 11 people who will receive a plaque, the full details of which have yet to be worked out, the council said.

Lee Rigby's widow Rebecca and their son, Jack, 4, laid flowers at the memorial in Middleton

Council leader Denise Hyland, said: "Since the appalling murder of Fusilier Lee Rigby on our streets, the council has been working with his wife Rebecca, his mother Lyn, other family members and local community leaders to reach agreement on a way to commemorate him, in addition to others that have been killed as a result of conflict."

After the passing of two anniversaries she said the council was now certain about what it wanted to see, which is a general memorial to those who have died in service since the end of WWII.

"In addition to that there will be individual or named plaques, shall we say, that honour those individual 11 people, we have so far traced who have died," she added.

She said the memorial to Fusilier Rigby was an "emotive issue" and the council had had to balance different opinions about how he should be commemorated.

In October, Greenwich Council revealed a stone memorial would be placed in St George's Chapel garden, opposite Woolwich Barracks.