Blair speaks to hostage family as deadline looms

British Prime Minister Tony Blair spoke to the family of Iraq hostage Kenneth Bigley this afternoon, Downing Street said.

Mr Blair spoke to the family at 2pm, after they issued a statement appealing for the premier to intervene to save the 62-year-old civil engineer, following the beheading of one of his fellow American captives Eugene Armstrong.

No 10 would give no details of the conversation, but Downing Street sources said the call followed an offer by Mr Blair to talk to the family if they felt they wanted to speak to him.

A No 10 source said: “This is an extremely difficult situation.”