The mother of terrorist killer Khalid Masood is being guarded by police in case of reprisals over the Westminster attack by her estranged son.

Three police officers were tonight stationed outside the home of Janet Ajao, 69, in a quiet country village more than 200 miles away from the scene of her son's terror attack.

Police ruled out that she had any links to the crimes of her son - but are worried that she could be targeted in her isolated home where she lives with a border collie and chickens and runs an online business selling hand-made bags and cushions.

Khalid Masood, 52 – born Adrian Elms – unleashed his trail of destruction in Westminster more than a decade after turning his back on his family in the Home Counties.

The jihadist stabbed Pc Keith Palmer to death with two knives outside parliament after killing mother-of-two Aysha Frade, pensioner Leslie Rhodes and US tourist Kurt Cochran as he ploughed along a crowded pavement on Westminster Bridge.

Police officers on guard near the home of Khalid Masood's mother in the village of Trelech, Carmarthenshire, Wales

Pictured: A police officer stands on guard near the house of Janet Ajao in Trelech, where she is currently being given support by a family liaison officer

Khalid Masood, 52 – born Adrian Elms – unleashed his trail of destruction in Westminster more than a decade after turning his back on his family in the Home Counties

A police van was stationed at head of the lane leading to her home with police planning to remain to 'make sure there is no breach of the peace.'

One villager said: 'The police say they will stay here to make sure there is no trouble. They say they will be protecting property and people.

'Obviously feelings are running very high and we are concerned.'

A spokesman for Dyfed Powys Police said: 'We remain at the sight to provide reassurance.'

Mrs Ajao is known by villagers as a 'respectable grey-haired lady' running her own business from her farmhouse in Trelech, Carmarthenshire.

She took up jobs at Boots and M&S in nearby Carmarthen and worked at a Little Chef restaurant in the small town of St Clears.

The mother-of-three retired to run her own business called Folksy, specialising in hand-crafted cushions, handbags, blankets and other 'textile goodies' which she makes at home.

Pictured: Officers near the home of Masood's mother, Janet Ajao, who gave birth to him when she was a 17-year-old living in Dartford, Kent

It is believed Mrs Ajao was Janet Elms when she gave birth to her son on Christmas Day 1964 at the age of 17. Two years later she married Phillip.

The couple are understood to have two other sons Alex, 40, an account director, and Paul, 50, who runs a number of florists and fabrics companies.

The family moved around Kent and Sussex before the couple settled on their rural retreat in Wales in 1999.

Mrs Ajao and her 77-year-old husband Philip - who is believed to be of Nigerian background - live a peaceful existence in the small village, which has a population of just 745 people.

His mother now lives in rural west Wales, on a farm in the village of Trelech, Carmarthenshire

Police were still at their house on a quiet lane of five isolated homes today but Ms Ajao was 'too upset' to talk - and she was being given 'appropriate support' by a family liaison officer.

Officers said the search of their house has been 'concluded' and said they had not seen her this morning.

Police said she told them she did not want them at the address and 'just wants to be left alone.'

The mother-of-three was spotted looking outside her window and opening her door while police were concluding their investigation.

She ordered police to turn people away from the farm property surrounded by fields and a public footpath.

Mr Ajao, a former cheese factory worker and Masood's father, is a keen photographer and astronomer who enjoys listening to classical music. He is currently being treated in hospital with a serious illness.

He enjoys classical music, especially Vivaldi, and has a keen interest in photography and astronomy.

It is understood he is currently away from home being treated in nearby Glangwili General Hospital.

A neighbour said: 'They are very nice quiet people - I believe Phil is in hospital at the moment. It must be very, very difficult for her.

'Whatever has happened, she has lost a son.

'They've been here for years. We say hello when we see them walking the dog.

'I know they have sons but I can't recall ever seeing them visit since they moved her.

'It was a real shock when police turned up because nothing like this ever happens here.'

Another neighbour said: 'It is a very quiet place but we see the couple occasionally. It must be a terrible shock.

His mother now lives with her husband in Carmarthenshire, west Wales, where she runs an online business selling hand-made bags and cushions (pictured)

Masood's mother makes 'original hand-crafted bags and other textile goodies' in rural Wales

'As far as we can see, Janet has done nothing wrong and this must be hell for her. She just leads a quiet life here like all of us.'

Dairy farmer Mark Sillars, 59, sold the couple their three-bedroom home, called Lleiniau, almost 20 years ago.

He said: 'They were typical of people who moved here - friendly, neighbourly, they wouldn't interfere with your business, and you wouldn't with theirs.

'They liked the isolation. I don't know why, but for whatever reason they wanted to live in the middle of nowhere.

'Janet is a lovely lady. Phillip worked in a cheese factory. He was keen on astronomy and kept a lot of telescopes. I think that's part of the reason they wanted to be so rural, because of the clear skies.

'They liked the place when I showed them round, and they bought it straight away.

'I was aware they had children who would periodically visit but I didn't know who they were. You'd know they were there because there would be three or four more cars in the drive.

'They used to come up at Christmas and on the odd weekend. People in the village are speculating that Khalid visited last week, but that might just be rumours.'

Mrs Ajao sells her handmade products from the website, Folksy.

In the description on the site, she says: 'Hello, I'm Janet and I live in rural west Wales with my husband, border collie and a few chickens.

'Our home is tucked away at the end of a little lane, and it's here that you'll find me making bags and cushions.

'I use natural fabrics, both new and recycled, and love to make use of old Welsh wool blankets.

'All items are one-off. You may see the same style of bag, or the same fabric may reappear in a different guise, but never the same thing twice.'