Cartoonist - who escaped Paris massacre because he overslept - breaks down as he defends decision to draw image of weeping Prophet on next edition's front cover

Charlie Hebdo's cartoonist broke down today as he explained his reasons for drawing the Prophet Muhammad on tomorrow's controversial front cover. 

The image depicts the Prophet shedding a single tear and holding a sign which declares: 'Je Suis Charlie'.

Above the figure, who is drawn in a comic style wearing a turban, the text declares: 'Tout est pardonné (All is forgiven)'. 

Weeping repeatedly during an emotional press conference, cartoonist Renald 'Luz' Luzier said the image represented 'just a little guy who's crying'.

Then he confirmed, unapologetically: 'Yes, it is Muhammad.'

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'We are cartoonists and we like drawing little characters, just as we were as children': Charlie Hebdo caricaturist Renald 'Luz' Luzier reacts during a press conference about the newspaper's next edition

Staff from the satirical newspaper also vowed to continue with their work and confirmed further details of the new edition out tomorrow. 

Mr Luzier, who escaped the massacre because he had overslept by half an hour, described crying after he drew the picture.

He said: 'We are cartoonists and we like drawing little characters, just as we were as children. 

'The terrorists, they were kids, they drew just like we did, just like all children do.