A man so deeply moved by the death of drummer Lee Rigby that he painted a minature portrait of him has presented it to his grieving mother.

Christopher Vale, 71, from Banstead, met Lyn Rigby on Sunday at Blackheath, South London, to present her with the small painting.

Mr Rigby was stabbed to death in May last year while walking during the day in a street in Woolwich, South East London, by Islamic extremists Michael Adebolajo and Michael Adebowale.

The presentation came just days after another Islamic extremist shot and killed a Canadian solder at a war memorial in Ottawa, before being shot dead himself inside the country’s parliament building.

Mr Vale explained that he was so upset by drummer Rigby's death that he decided to create a memento for his family.

He said: "I saw it on the news and I was so, so upset over it.

"I thought ‘this poor man, it must be awful’.

"After the funeral, I thought the picture would be a nice keepsake for Lyn.

"I used to dabble with pictures but it was 10 years since I last had a go.

"I collect portrait miniatures and thought ‘let’s give this a go’."

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Lyn Rigby and Christopher Vale with the portrait 

Mr Vale used a magnifying glass to complete the picture which measures two-and-a-half by three-and-a-half inches and it took 15 hours to complete.

"You’ve got to have very, very steady hands," he added.

The pensioner said presenting the portrait to Mrs Rigby was very emotional.

"Lyn said the likeness is very good and then she burst into tears. It made us all very emotional. We talked generally about her family and her feelings," Mr Vale said.

"She pressed my hand and said to me ‘it’s so nice that I get something which I will remember and treasure’.

"After we left we received a text from Lyn which said 'Thank you for a lovely get-together it meant the world to me.

"The painting is a true likeness of Lee, beautiful. I will treasure it forever'."

Mrs Rigby’s poignant words come after Greenwich Council revealed that a memorial stone will be placed in St George’s Chapel gardens, opposite Woolwich Barracks, where father-of-one Mr Rigby was based.

But the inscription on the memorial will not name Mr Rigby specifically. Instead, it will state: "To mark Woolwich’s history as a barracks town and to commemorate all those servicemen and women who have served or lived in Woolwich and who have given their lives in the service of their country."