An elderly woman was beheaded in broad daylight in a horrific attack in a back garden in London by a man who witnesses say "was looking for a cat".

A man will appear in a British court this morning charged with the murder of soldier Lee Rigby, Scotland Yard has said.

Britain was in a heightened state of alert last night following a suspected terrorist attack in which a young man was hacked to death in broad daylight on the streets of London.

A major police operation was launched today after two suspected terrorists murdered a man in the street in broad daylight.