The woman who confronted one of the suspected terrorists accused of brutally murdering 25-year-old Drummer Lee Rigby in London has said she is not a heroine.

Ingrid Loyau-Kennett, who lived in Charles Place, Grundisburgh, for six years, admitted she was scared talking to the alleged suspect at the scene of the killing in Woolwich on Wednesday but said she wanted to keep him busy in case other soldiers walked past.

Miss Loyau-Kennett, a former Snowy Owl Brownie leader in Ipswich, was staying in Woolwich with her two children, Pawony and Basil Baradaran, for the weekend to celebrate her son’s birthday.

She was travelling on a bus to Victoria to catch a coach home to Cornwall when the horrific events unfolded near the Royal Artillery Barracks.

The 48-year-old, who taught languages at Grundisburgh Primary School, said: “The bus turned into the road and there was a body on the road and a car badly damaged nearby.

“I thought it was a road accident so when the bus stopped I got off and went to see if I could help the victim. A guy came over and said ‘go away from the body, don’t touch it’.

“I lifted my head and my eyes met two bloodied hands holding a revolver, a butcher’s knife and a meat cleaver, and then I knew it was a murder.”

Miss Loyau-Kennett said one of the men told her he had killed a British soldier. “He told me he did it because soldiers are killing Muslim civilians in Muslim countries,” she added.

Miss Loyau-Kennett, who was also a member of Woodbridge Choral Society, spoke to the men for around 10 minutes while listening out for sirens, signalling help was on its way.

“All that time more and more people were stopping and I was keen to keep him talking in case other soldiers came past,” she said.

“It was just really daunting with all those eyes on me and I was quite scared because there were lots of mothers stopping with their kids.”

When Miss Loyau-Kennett saw her bus start to move she calmly walked away from the scene.

She said: “I left on my own accord and got back on the bus and within 10 seconds a guy rushed onto the bus and said ‘lay down’ but I didn’t. I watched through the window and saw a police car swerve into the road and before it stopped, two doors opened and a policewoman shot both men as they ran towards the car.

“People on the bus were screaming, crying and holding onto their children so it took a while for me to calm everyone down and get the situation under control.”

She said she does not feel like a heroine, compared to her grandfather who fought during the war.

“My son was upset that I had put myself into such a situation but now they are incredibly proud of me and quite overwhelmed with it all.”