THREE York stonemasonry apprentices have created a memorial to be installed at the former school of murdered fusilier Lee Rigby.

The trio from York College have crafted a bird bath after being approach by North West stonemasonry firm Stone Central.

Middleton Technical School in Manchester had asked Stone Central if the company would make a memorial in memory of Fusilier Rigby, who attended the school before he joined the armed forces.

Stone Central then offered the project to York College, having sent several of its apprentices to the college in the past, and knowing it would be a worthwhile piece of work for the stonemasonry trainees to take on.

Paul Hill, stonemasonry tutor at York College said: “We were honoured to be asked to make and install the bird bath in Lee’s memory.

“It was a challenging project for our Level 3 apprentices and everyone involved did an excellent job. Lee`s parents gave permission for the memorial and the school has set an area aside for a gardening project where the birdbath is located.”

Fusilier Rigby, from Middleton, in Greater Manchester, was murdered as he returned to his barracks in Woolwich, south-east London in May last year. He died of multiple cut and stab wounds.

Michael Adebolajo and Michael Adebowale drove into Fusilier Rigby at 30 to 40mph, before dragging him into the road and attacking him with knives. They have both since been jailed with Adebolajo sentenced to life and Adebowale a minimum of 45 years.

The three apprentices who worked on the Fusilier Rigby’s memorial are studying a Level 3 qualification in Stonemasonry at York College. They were Sam Turner, who is an apprentice at York Minster, Paul Haines, an apprentice at Mather & Ellis in Manchester, and Peter Wigham who is an apprentice at Castle Howard.