The killing of British hostage Ken Bigley in Iraq met with widespread condemnation in the UK, as his home city Liverpool was set to observe a day of mourning on Saturday.

Flags were flown at halfmast at the town hall in the northern English city whose residents have spoken of an emotional rollercoaster over the past three weeks as the nation hoped for Bigley?s release.

At midday, Lord Mayor Frank Roderick led a two-minute silence, which began and ended with the tolling of the city?s municipal bells. ?I hope the city will come to a standstill to express its sympathy and solidarity with Ken?s family at this time?, Roderick said in a statement.

The Guardian newspaper said a videotape of Bigley, showing him chained behind metal meshing and making an impassioned plea to prime minister Tony Blair to save his life, would be etched into Britons? memories. ?The haunting pictures of Mr Bigley, caged and vulnerable, may for many people become the defining image of this war (in Iraq)? .

Blair on Friday led the condemnation of Bigley?s murder by expressing his ?utter revulsion? for the killers. ?I feel utter revulsion at the people who did this, not just at the barbaric nature of the killing but the way frankly they played with the situation over the past few weeks?. Queen Elizabeth sent a private message of condolence to Bigley?s 86-year-old mother Lil, who collapsed with heart complications after taping a tearful plea for his freedom last month.

?No words can adequately sum up the grotesque barbarity of those who have taken Ken Bigley?s life or the intense anguish and pain that his family will now be enduring?, said Michael Howard, leader of Britain?s opposition Conservative Party. A spokesman for the Muslim Council of Britain, an umbrella group of 400 Muslim organisations that sent a delegation to Iraq to try to win Bigley?s release, described his beheading as ?deeply repugnant and morally reprehensible?.

At Liverpool?s Catholic cathedral, where Bigley?s mother worships, a single candle burned beside a photograph of her son ? a picture that has become familiar to Britons since militants kidnapped the 62-year-old engineer in Iraq last month.

Residents gathered on Friday for a hastily organised evening mass and late into the night, local people queued to add their notes to the book of condolences opened at the cathedral. Lifelong resident Lisa Sanderson?s voice cracked with emotion as she brought her young daughter to light a candle.

?We came here tonight because we just feel so deeply for his family?, she said. ?But we?re all sickened and shocked. It?s awful. A human life is lost ? precious human life.?

Astrid ZWEYNERT