Sir David Amess murder: MP's family visit church where he was killed
Dozens of flowers have been left outside Belfairs Methodist Church where the MP was holding a constituency surgery when he was killed.
Monday 18 October 2021 14:58, UK
Sir David Amess's family have visited the church where the MP was murdered on Friday.
His wife, Julia Amess, was seen wiping tears from her eyes as she read messages left with dozens of flowers outside Belfairs Methodist Church in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, on Monday morning.
Boris Johnson and Sir Keir Starmer were among those who left flowers with personal messages about Sir David over the weekend.
Other family members, including two of his four daughters, were seen with friends at the church as they comforted each other.
The couple also has a son, David, named after his father.
Mrs Amess occasionally helped Sir David with his constituency casework.
Sir David was holding a routine constituency surgery at the church on Friday when he was stabbed multiple times before dying at the scene.
A mural of Sir David, by local artist Madmanity, has appeared at a skatepark near the church where he was killed.
The family's visit comes hours before MPs will gather in the House of Commons for prayers followed by a minute's silence and a chance to pay tribute to him.
MPs and peers will then attend a service in his honour at nearby St Margaret's Church.
Flowers have also been left by MPs inside the gates of the Houses of Parliament as they returned after the weekend.
Many have already paid tribute on social media, saying what a kind person he was to everyone, no matter if they agreed on politics or not.
A 25-year-old man, who Sky News understands is Ali Harbi Ali, was arrested at the scene on murder and terrorism charges.
Sky News understands he is the son of a former senior Somali government official.
A spokesman at the Somali Embassy in China has also confirmed the terror suspect is the nephew of Somalia's ambassador to China, Awale Kullane.
