Lee Rigby's mum 'to set up new retreat' for families

Lyn Rigby, pictured with Peter Thornley, at his Oakamoor estate in October 2018

The mother of murdered soldier Lee Rigby has pledged to set up a new retreat for grieving military families after a dispute over its current home.

Lyn Rigby said the retreat at the estate of ex-wrestler Kendo Nagasaki, aka Peter Thornley, had "collapsed".

"We are determined to continue helping families and restart Lee Rigby House with a caravan," she said.

Mr Thornley's solicitor said his client was fighting the forced sale of the house in a separate legal dispute.

Fusilier Rigby, from Rochdale, was killed by Michael Adebolajo and Michael Adebowale outside Woolwich barracks in London on 22 May 2013.

'Utterly heartbreaking'

Mr Thornley made friends with the family and they set up home and their charity on his estate in Oakamoor, Staffordshire, in 2016.

Mrs Rigby said in a statement Lee Rigby House offered a "bolthole and respite for people struggling to cope with bereavement".

She said they were offered the house "for charity use indefinitely" until the foundation could afford rent.

But she claimed Mr Thornley recently told her he could have to sell the house because of financial problems and asked her to buy it or pay rent.

Fusilier Rigby was killed was killed in May 2013 in an attack by two men in Woolwich

She said the "still growing" foundation could not afford this so had been "forced to leave".

The charity had already moved to a new headquarters in Cheadle, and the family were looking for a new home, she added.

Mrs Rigby described the situation as "utterly heartbreaking" but said they had begun fundraising for the caravan.

"The dream is one day to have them all over the country as respite centres for families and struggling veterans when they hit rock bottom and need somewhere to run to," she said.

Tony Vieira, of law firm Bucks, said "no one was being forced out". However, if Mr Thornley was unsuccessful in his legal dispute the foundation "could be asked to leave by others at some point".

Mr Vieira said: "It is regrettable that due to a legal dispute, not involving the Lee Rigby Foundation, that Peter has been threatened with the forced sale of Lee Rigby House and many of his other assets; Peter continues to fight for the cause to prevent the Lee Rigby House being sold.

"Whilst Peter informed Lyn of this, it was made clear that the sale of Lee Rigby House could be taken out of his hands at some point in the future."

He added his client hoped he would be able to save the house and wanted to continue supporting the charity.

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