Quantcast
Channel: Leicester Mercury Latest Stories Feed
Viewing all articles
Browse latest Browse all 9894

Family lays flowers at Leicester war memorial in honour of Drummer Lee Rigby

0
0
A family has honoured the memory of murdered soldier Lee Rigby by laying flowers at Leicester's main war memorial. Mark Phillips, his partner Natasha Ward, and their two children Jack, two, and Holly, four, placed flowers at the memorial in Victoria Park at the weekend – and are encouraging others to do the same. The couple, from Aylestone, Leicester, said they were inspired by online campaigners urging people to make the symbolic gesture as a tribute to Drummer Rigby, who was killed in Woolwich last Wednesday. Thousands of people have left flowers in the street where the 25-year-old father-of-one died. A growing number of people are placing flowers at symbolic sites across the country. Mr Phillips, 30, said: "I could not imagine how painful it must be for Lee Rigby's family and I decided that I could do one small thing to honour his memory. "Our son and his son share the same name, Jack, and they're about the same age and that made it more important for me to do this. "I told myself that someone needed to be the first person to lay flowers at the memorial in Victoria Park and I decided it would be me. "My sister and father did the same thing later in the day after I told them we'd done it. "It's a start and I hope other people will do the same. "Every town and most villages have a war memorial, so I hope people will find out where they are and do something to honour this man's memory. "It would be good if the news could be about how people in Britain have come together in solidarity with Lee Rigby and his family." A spokeswoman for the Royal British Legion in Leicestershire and Rutland said: "We understand that people may wish to lay flowers as a mark of respect and remembrance. "As with all deaths in service, but particularly with this terribly distressing incident, we extend our condolences and support to his family, colleagues and friends." Drummer Rigby, originally from Greater Manchester, had been in the 2nd Battalion Royal Regiment of Fusiliers since 2006. He married his wife Rebecca in 2007 and the couple had a son, two-year-old Jack. Members of his family visited the scene of his death last week to lay their own tributes alongside those placed in the street by thousands of well-wishers. The Leicestershire Federation of Muslim Organisations has commended the Muslim community for its just response to the tragedy, which has been linked to Islamic extremism. Group spokesman Suleman Nagdi said: "It has been humbling to see so many of the Muslim community up and down the UK united in condemnation of what was truly a horrific crime. "Many of our scholars and religious leaders have spoken against the vile phenomenon that is violent extremism in all its hideous guises and we strongly support them in their efforts to speak out."

Family lays flowers at Leicester war memorial in honour of Drummer Lee Rigby


Viewing all articles
Browse latest Browse all 9894

Latest Images

Trending Articles





Latest Images