In an emotional news conference, the family of the murdered soldier Drummer Lee Rigby have paid a tearful tribute to their “hero”.

Drummer Lee Rigby’s stepfather Ian Rigby told how they frantically tried to contact him after watching his brutal murder unfold on television saying his “heart skipped a beat”.

Speaking at a press conference, Mr Rigby said they tried to get hold of the 25-year-old but could not reach him.

He said: “Really as soon as it came on the news on television, obviously we didn’t know it was Lee but your heart skips a beat when you see something like that on TV, you know your son is in that area.

“As soon as it was on the telly we were attempting to get hold of Lee, obviously we couldn’t and it was the middle of the night probably when we got confirmed to us it was Lee.”

Drummer Rigby’s wife, Rebecca, spoke of the shock of losing her husband, who served with distinction in Afghanistan, on British soil saying: “You don’t expect it to happen when he’s in the UK. You think they’re safe.”

She added: “His proudest moments were serving in London on the ceremonials with the drum corps.”

Mrs Rigby, 30, said her husband had been due home to Langley, in Middleton, Greater Manchester, at the weekend so they could “continue our future together as a family” with their two-year-old son Jack.

She said that she was proud to be his wife, adding: “He was a devoted father to our son Jack and we will both miss him terribly.”

The pair were speaking at the Regimental headquarters of Drummer Rigby’s unit, the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers, at Bury, Greater Manchester, alongside Drummer Rigby’s mother Lyn, his sister Sara McClure, 24, and aunt and uncle Elaine and Ray Dutton.

His younger sisters were not there.

Mr Rigby, 54, read out a statement on behalf of all of the family, who were greatly distressed but had chosen to pay tribute. He said: “What can we say about Lee, our hero, we are so so proud of Lee.

“When Lee was born the family adored him, he was a precious gift given to us.”

He told how Lee had a “fiery temper” when he was young and how he used to “sit on him to calm him down till he got too big at 15, then he used to sit on me”.

And he said that his stepson had always dreamed he would join the Army.

He said that Drummer Rigby was a “family man” who was always “looking out for his wife, young son Jack and younger sisters”.

He said: “Lee was a man who loved people. He had many friends growing up in Middleton and on army duties all over the world.

“He believed life was for living and he will be sorely missed by all who knew him.

“Courtney and Amy his younger sisters wrote this for Lee: ‘Rest in Peace Lee, we loved you so much, you didn’t deserve this, you fought for your country and did it well.

“‘You will always be our hero we are just upset you left us so early. Love you Lee, goodnight.'”

And he disclosed the last text Drummer Rigby had sent to his mother, Lyn, 46, which read: “Goodnight mum, I hope you had a fantastic day today because you are the most fantastic and one in a million mum that anyone could ever wish for. Thank you for supporting me all these years, you’re not just my mum you’re my best friend. So goodnight, love you loads.”

Mr Rigby finished by saying: “We would like to say goodnight Lee, rest in peace our fallen soldier, we love you loads and words cannot describe how loved and sadly missed you will be.

“We would like to thank everybody, the police and Army for the amazing support we have received and for all the goodwill wishes we are receiving from all over the country in memory of Lee.

“Our hearts have been ripped apart from us, everyone is struggling to cope with this tragedy, so we would ask the press to respect our privacy to grieve our son’s parting as we try to come to terms with this.”

The results of a post-mortem examination failed to confirm the cause of death of Drummer Rigby, from 2nd Battalion, the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers.

He was hit with a car before being hacked to death on Wednesday afternoon in Woolwich, south east London.

Two men, Michael Adeboloja, 28, originally from Romford in Essex, and Michael Oluwatobi Adebowale, 22, of Greenwich in southeast London, were shot and arrested at the scene.

In a video filmed at the scene, Adeboloja, who is holding a bloodied meat cleaver, can be heard saying: “We must fight them as they fight us. An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.

“I apologise that women have had to witness this today, but in our land our women have to see the same. You people will never be safe. Remove your Government, they don’t care about you.”

The men are being treated in hospital for non life-threatening injuries under police guard.

The Muslim Council of Britain has reiterated its condemnation of the “barbaric attack”.

Help For Heroes has said that donations have topped £600,000 since the attack. Mr Rigby was wearing a t-shirt branded with the charity’s logo at the time of the attack.

A Help For Heroes spokesman said: “Since the awful news emerged that Drummer Lee Rigby was killed in Woolwich, the nation has rallied behind our Armed Forces in an extraordinary and wonderful display of support.

“Help For Heroes has been the unexpected focus of this spontaneous and instinctive desire to counter evil with good.”

NationalTurk & Editor Alp Darici share the pain of the British people and extends its condolences to the family of Lee Rigby Rest In Peace.

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