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Tributes to the off-duty soldier killed in a brutal attack in broad daylight on a London street have poured in since his death on Wednesday.
The street in Woolwich, south east London, where Lee Rigby, 25, was killed has been carpeted in flowers as members of the public joined his family, friends and comrades in paying tribute.
Flowers, balloons and flags have also been tied to the railings around Woolwich Barracks, just 200 yards from where the Drummer, of 2nd Battalion, The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers, died.
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Round of applause: Soldiers gave a show of hands as they viewed the ever-increasing volume of floral tributes to Drummer Lee Rigby, and placed their own flowers in the spot where he tragically died, close to Woolwich Barracks
Sadness: Messages left for the soldier have condemned his death as 'the death of mankind' and his killers as 'scum cowards'
Drummer Lee Rigby, 25, of 2nd Battalion,
The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers, was hit by a car and then 'hacked to
death' on Wednesday by two men who got out of the vehicle and attacked
him with knives and meat cleavers while shouting 'Allah Akbar!' - an
Islamic phrase for 'God is great'.
The men - named on internet forums as Michael Adebolajo, 28, and Michael Adebowale, 22 - were shot by armed police and are now under arrest in hospital.
Seven other people have been arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to murder and questioned by police since the attack.
The area where the soldier was killed has now become a shrine to Drummer Rigby, with hundreds of people visiting to read moving notes, letters and poems left his honour.
Flowers and messages were also left outside his family home in Middleton, Greater Manchester, and a vigil was held for him in the local church hall.
Several messages were left outside the barracks were from friends of the soldier - known as 'Riggers'.
One said: 'Lee, a loving, caring, humorous, funny friend. A big bro to many and especially to me. Forever thinking of you. Rest in peace. Love Chris.'
Another, signed by five of the group, said: 'Lee, a wonderful, caring loving and funny friend who always had a smile on his face. I'll never forget you and will be missed.'
Many of the tributes came from veterans, fellow servicemen and women and their families. One moving notecard left at the scene said: 'To a brave young soldier, God bless, rest in peace, from an old soldier.'
William Pemberton, whose son Billy took his own life after being the youngest soldier to serve in Afghanistan, left his own poignant note describing the two fallen soldiers as 'brothers'.
Others were from members of the public who had no connection to Drummer Rigby but wanted to express their sadness at the attack and give sympathy to his family.
Many described his death as 'senseless', a 'tragic waste' and a life 'innocently taken'.
Some of Drummer Rigby's fellow soldiers also placed flowers at the site where he died, including some from The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers.
Other soldiers carried the red and white feather hackles which are famously worn by members of Drummer Rigby's battalion.
Among the masses of flowers and poignant messages left in honour of murdered British soldier Lee Rigby, one very personal message was left yesterday.
Aimee West, who is Drummer Rigby's fiancée, laid flowers along with other mourners near the barracks in Woolwich yesterday, as well as a handwritten note.
She wore a silver platted engagement ring with a small diamond it and a silver heart shaped pendant around her neck.
And poignantly, Miss West, a member of the Royal Military Police, was also wearing Drummer Rigby's military green hooded top with the emblem of the Fire Support Company Second Batallion of the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers.
She walked around the area for almost 20 minutes reading hundreds of touching tributes left since the horrific daylight slaying that has shocked Britain.
Miss West, 22, who had flown back to the UK from Afghanistan, was supported by her mother Karen, 47, as well as her friends.
Her full tribute read: 'My gorgeous, wonderful, loving fiance you will always have my heart and I know you will always be my guardian angel watching over me. Rest in peace baby. All my love forever and ever, your Princess xxxx'
Flowers: The man helps his son place a single red rose into a soldier's boot outside the barracks, just 200 yards from where Drummer Rigby was killed
In a speech after the attack, David Cameron said the action would unite Britain.
He said: 'The people who did this were trying to divide us. They should know: something like this will only bring us together and make us stronger.'
The Prime Minister was speaking after attending an emergency Cobra meeting to discuss what happened, after briefings from security services suggested it was a terrorist attack.
Both the suspected killers, Michael Adebolajo, 28, and Michael Adebowale, 22, were known to MI5. They were shot by armed officers at the scene after allegedly waiting around for up to 20 minutes for police to arrive so they could attack them.
A man who was identified on internet
forums as Adebolajo was filmed clutching knives and with his hands
covered in blood ranting about Islam to passers-by with cameras after
the incident.
A book of condolence has been opened for Lee Rigby at Woolwich Town Hall, near to where he was killed.
Opening hours at the hall have been specially extended over the Bank Holiday weekend to allow as many people as possible in to sign it.
The mayor of the Royal Borough Woolwich, Angela Cornforth and council leader, Chris Roberts said: 'Now that the death of Drummer Lee Rigby has been confirmed we wish to express our condolences to Drummer Rigby's family and friends.
'Woolwich is a
place born out of the Army and it runs through the DNA of the town and
many of its people.
'This is a place which has witnessed attacks on our armed service personnel before, not least the terrorist attack by the IRA almost 40 years ago.
'Then, as now, the people and communities of Woolwich have shown their pride in our Armed Services and respect for the role they play and the risks they undertake.
'Every single soldier and their family can be assured of our enduring support in the days, weeks, months and years ahead.'
Touching: Poignant messages were left with bunches of flowers outside Drummer Rigby's family home in Middleton, Greater Manchester
Close community: Friends from the area leave messages of sympathy outside the soldier's family home
Did you witness the killing and take pictures or video?
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Since
the attack on Drummer Rigby there have been a number of suspected
'revenge' attacks on mosques around the country, with charity Faith Matters reporting 150 calls in the last few days, compared to a usual average of six a day.
In his speech, Mr Cameron made clear that the suspected killers did not represent Islam.
He said: 'This country will be absolutely resolute in its stand against violent extremism and terror. We will never give in to terror – or terrorism – in any of its forms. This view is shared by every community in our country.
'This was not just an attack on Britain – and on the British way of life. It was also a betrayal of Islam and of the Muslim communities who give so much to our country. There is nothing in Islam that justifies this truly dreadful act.
'We will defeat violent extremism by standing together, by backing our police and security services and above all by challenging the poisonous narrative of extremism on which this violence feeds.'
Messages: A veteran soldier gives his blessing to Drummer Rigby (left) while a member of the public leaves a note for his family
'Tragic waste': Strangers who had never met the soldier were moved by his sudden death on a London street
'Wrong': Some messages expressed people's anger with the way the soldier was killed
Respect: A soldier and police officer lay flowers outside Lee Rigby's family home in Middleton, Greater Manchester