This was just awful. Over the weekend there was mourning accross the country, especially in Ken's family's city of Liverpool.

Apparently, Ken had managed to escape with the help of one of his guards who he had befriended. He had also (allegedly) acquired a gun when he made his bid for freedom. Unfortunately he didn't get far and his captors caught up with him after about 30 minutes and subsequently beheaded him. Such a horrible, appauling, degrading and humiliating way for someone's life to end. I'd prefer it if they just shot me in the back of the head and got it over with, if I was in that situation.

I don't know why he was kept alive longer than his American colleagues - perhaps the kidnappers thought they could bargain with Tony Blair? Pretty unlikely considering the female scientists they wanted freed are being held by Americans and not the British...

We did all get our hopes up though - the British Muslim council even sent a delegation over to Iraq to appeal to the kidnappers.

My thoughts and prayers to all Ken's family.