FIVE years ago this week, tributes were paid to soldier Lee Rigby after he was killed by two men in a terrorist attack in east London.

Drummer Lee Rigby, 25, who completed his infantry training course at Catterick, North Yorkshire, was run over then brutally attacked in broad daylight in front of witnesses.

Footage was captured of one of the attackers holding a knife and a meat cleaver, apologising to onlookers and saying: "You people will never be safe."

Drummer Rigby’s family paid tribute to "a loving son, husband, father, brother and uncle", adding that he always wanted to be in the Army and "live life and enjoy himself".

Former US president Barack Obama also paid tribute, saying: ''I condemn in the strongest terms the appalling attack against a British service member in Woolwich.

"The United States stands resolute with the United Kingdom, our ally and friend, against violent extremism and terror.”

Also that week, a coroner called for action to highlight the dangers of hoarding following the death of a 65-year-old woman when her home caught fire.

Firefighters tried desperately to rescue the woman from her burning home in Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, but an inquest heard that huge piles of junk packed into every room not only helped to spark the blaze, but quickly fuelled the flames.

The Coroner, Andrew Tweddle, said fire crews were hampered by choking black smoke and could easily have lost their own lives in the hazardous conditions they encountered.

"Hoarding is almost made light of and obviously makes good television, " said Mr Tweddle.

"However, this shows that people are at grave risk to themselves, potentially their neighbours, but equally to those who try to save lives."

In lighter news, a football-lover wearing a potato sack was crowned Miss Durham after entering the competition to prove her boyfriend wrong.

Lauren Abel, from Darlington, decided to enter the beauty pageant after her partner, Dale Elgey, said she would have no chance of winning.

To her surprise, she was named the new Miss Durham at Sedgefield Racecourse after wowing judges with her creativity.

In the final round, the finalists had to model an outfit of their creation made from recycled material that would be suitable for a day at the races.

Ms Abel fashioned a dress out of an old Hessian potato sack with supermarket carrier bags.

She said: "It was a great night. I felt relaxed because I had never done anything like it before, so had no expectations. I wanted to be in the top ten, but I can't believe I won."

In national news, a bill to legalise gay marriage was rescued by a last gasp deal between Labour and the Coalition government, which agreed to back a Labour amendment to hold an immediate review into extending civil partnerships to all – without derailing gay marriage.