Ken Bigley's kidnappers say they want Iraqi women prisoners freed

Mr Bigley, a 62-year-old engineer from Liverpool, was abducted along with two Americans in Baghdad on Thursday.

Dr Musharaf Hussein, the imam of the Nottingham Islamia School, said the lunchtime vigil on Wednesday was to show unity to Mr Bigley and his family.

He said: "We thought it was important the Muslim community shows Ken and his family that we're united in this time."

Prayer and hope

Imam Hussein added: "We simply want to show sympathy toward the hostages and to pray and hope that the outcome will be positive.

"We want to get the children to think about justice and the fact the we want a peaceful world."

The school in Hyson Green has 130 pupils aged five to 11 years old.

Mr Bigley's son Craig has urged Prime Minister Tony Blair to help save his father's life, following the killing of one of the American captives.

Death report

A website thought to be linked to the group holding the British man and two Americans - the Tawhid and Jihad group - features a video showing Eugene Armstrong, being beheaded.

Another site has reported that a second US hostage has been killed.

The report has not been verified, but the dead hostage is thought to be US citizen Jack Hensley.

Mr Bigley was kidnapped along with Mr Armstrong and Mr Hensley from the Mansour district of Baghdad.