Man killed pet cat before beheading grandmother

The crazed knife attacker who beheaded an 82-year-old grandmother after killing a pet cat remains in hospital under police guard.

The 25-year-old murdered Palmira Silva in Edmonton, north London after rampaging through gardens ranting about cats.

Police were forced to stage a dramatic evacuation operation to save neighbours, and an armed squad Tasered the knifeman as he struggled against officers.

Staff in shops near the cafe that the Italian pensioner ran were stunned by news of her death.

Silva’s Cafe in Church Street, near Edmonton Green station, was shuttered up as local people tried to come to terms with the tragedy.

Dilek Solma, 19, working behind the counter in a fruit and vegetable shop next door, said: “I’m so upset.

“She was a very smiley lady, always had a smile on her face, and loved the community. If somebody dropped something in here, she would help pick it up. Although she was 82, she was younger than me, and I’m 19.”

On Thursday witnesses described seeing a man dressed in black, waving a machete weapon as he wandered screaming and shouting through back gardens.

A neighbour who knew Ms Silva said the widow was “such a sweet lady” who had lived in the house for more than 25 years.

The house in the busy street where Ms Silva’s body was found was the scene of a major police operation yesterday.

Another local resident described seeing a man brandishing a machete and shouting about cats.

The witness, who did not want to be named, said he watched the drama from his window.

“I went to the windows and saw a guy with a machete with blood dripping from it. We saw a cat on the floor without a head.

“He was standing in the garden and walking up and down shouting about cats,” the man said