Flowers are being laid at a town’s war memorial as a mark of respect for soldier Lee Rigby who was murdered in Woolwich.

Waltham Abbey Residents’ Association posted a message on its Facebook page from a war veteran saying he wanted to show solidarity with the family of the Royal Fusiliers drummer by leaving tributes at the memorial in Farm Hill Road.

Chairwoman Sue Calvert said: “We’ve had a very good response – it’s got about 35 bouquets.

“The veteran got in touch saying he felt proud to have served in the British Army.

“We’re a non-political organisation, but you can’t sit on the fence with something like this.

“We’re basing it on the fact that it’s for Lee Rigby’s son. It will be nice when his son grows up to see that he had Waltham Abbey’s support.”

She said people were also planning to lay flowers at the Epping memorial in the High Street and in North Weald.