Gemini Donnelly-Martin (seated) and Amanda Donnelly stay with Drummer Lee Rigby as he died. Source: Supplied
A MOTHER and daughter are being hailed as the "Angels of Woolwich' after they comforted Drummer Lee Rigby and prayed for him in his final moments.
Gemini Donnelly-Martin, 20, and her mother Amanda Donnelly, asked the men who hacked Drummer Rigby to death if they could be by his side. The two attackers allowed women to pass.
Ms Donnelly-Martin told the Daily Mirror that despite many including British Prime Minister David Cameron calling the women heroes she believes they just did what anyone would do.
"We just wanted to take care of the man. It wasn't brave. Anyone would have done it. It had to be done," she said. "The only thing people need to worry about is that poor man's mum. We are grateful, though, for what people are saying about us."
Mrs Donnelly cradled the man in her arms and prayed over his body even after being confronted by one of the alleged killers.
Her son Simeon, 22, said his mother came home afterwards and had a cup of coffee but didn't want to talk about what she had witnessed.
"She just did what any mother would have done," he said. "She felt that could have been me lying down there in the street. She just felt for the poor guy.
Gemini Donnelly-Martin.
"No man should have to die like that in the street with no-one around him," he said.
As the mother and daughter stayed with the man, Ingrid Loyau-Kennett spoke to the attackers and tried to get them to hand over their weapons.
Mr Cameron has praised all the women saying it shows what ordinary people can do to fight extremism.