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An eyewitness to the murder of Jo Cox MP says he heard her attacker shout "Britain first" or "put Britain first" before he stabbed her and shot her dead.

Local Clarke Rothwell told the BBC he couldn't be sure which of the phrases he used, but he was sure he used the words 'Britain first'.

His statement adds weight to earlier reports that the MP's assailant shouted the words during his attack.

He said: "I turned around to look what the noise were, and I heard a woman screaming.

"Then a guy was bent over a woman - I could see her legs sticking out - with what looked like a gun in his hand. He then proceeded to shoot her again on the floor."

Asked what the attacker said during the assault, he said: "The words I heard him say were "Britain first", or "put Britain first".

"I can't say exactly which it was, but definitely "Britain first" was what he said. What he shouted. He shouted it at least twice."

(Image: Huddersfield Examiner)

Ms Cox was shot three times and stabbed on a suburban street in Batley, West Yorkshire.

She had just finished meeting voters at a constituency surgery event when she was attacked.

She was rushed to hospital, but later died from her injuries.

She is survived by husband Brendan, and their two young children.

Police arrested a 52 year old man from Batley on suspicion of murder and are not looking for anyone else in connection with the attack.