A memorial to mark the "ultimate sacrifice" of murdered soldier Lee Rigby has been unveiled in his home town.

Family and friends of Fusilier Rigby, 25, gathered for a dedication service at Middleton Memorial Gardens, Greater Manchester, where a bronze drum and a plaque in his honour went on public display.

Fusilier Rigby - a drummer and machine gunner with the 2nd Battalion Royal Regiment of Fusiliers - was killed outside his barracks in Woolwich in May 2013 by two Islamic extremists.

His four-year-old son, Jack, was among those attending the ceremony.

Together with his mother, Rebecca, he laid a floral tribute at the memorial with a message reading: "Me and Mummy Miss and Love You lots and lots. Jack xxx."

Also at the service were the soldier's mother, Lyn, stepfather Ian and father Philip McClure.

Speaking at the ceremony, regimental secretary of the Lancashire Fusiliers Colonel Mike Glover said: "The afternoon of May 22 2013 Fusilier Lee Rigby, of the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers, paid the ultimate sacrifice when the horror of the battlefield was brought to the streets of Woolwich.

"That day will forever be embedded in our nation's history and for many here today it will remain forever in our hearts.

"Lee's death sent shockwaves around the world, especially in Middleton where Lee had grown up.

"As a nation, as a member of his family, as a friend or a fellow Fusilier it is important we do not forget the sacrifice of Lee and those who served the Crown.

"All too often as time passes we close our eyes, forget the faces, forget the names, forget the stories. But this magnificent memorial will ensure we never forget."

He continued: "On September 1 2014, Lee Rigby was honoured by the nation at a ceremony in Staffordshire where his name was added to the Armed Forces Memorial at the National Memorial Arboretum but today it is his home town, his family, his friends, his fellow Fusiliers, at the site of this memorial can reflect upon the tragic loss of a son, a father, a friend and, above all, a Fusilier.

"We will remember."

Speaking ahead of the service, Fusilier Rigby's mother said it was "a lovely tribute" to her son "who put his life on the line every day to serve his country".