Lennon's family lead world tributes

John Lennon fans gather in his museum in Tokyo

The family of John Lennon have marked the 20th anniversary of his death with the unveiling of a plaque outside his childhood home in Liverpool.

Lennon's cousin Stanley Parkes and the singer's half-sister, Julia Baird, join dozens of relatives who still live in Liverpool outside the small semi-detached house in Woolton where Lennon taught himself to play guitar.

Mr Parkes said: "It is a very emotional day today for all of us, especially coming back to Woolton and Allerton where we all grew up."

Around the world, thousands of fans are attending events on Friday to mark the anniversary of the murder of the former Beatle.

Memorials will include a candle-lighting ceremony in Strawberry Fields, the tribute garden in New York's Central Park bearing the simple legend "Imagine".

Fans are already gathering in Central Park

The musician lived at the small semi-detached house in Woolton with his Aunt Mimi from the age of five until 1963, when he achieved worldwide fame with the Beatles.

The blue English Heritage plaque - the first to commemorate an English pop musician - overlooks the porch of the house.

A statue in the shape of a knotted gun has already been unveiled close to the site of the Cavern Club, where the Beatles played their early concerts.

It was unveiled by Dr Michael Nobel, head of the Nobel family society and chairman of the Non-Violence Foundation.

The foundation has placed 20 identical statues worldwide, including one outside the United Nations building in New York.

In Japan, more than 1,000 people mourned Lennon at the world's first museum dedicated to him, which opened in October just outside Tokyo.

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Groups of fans prayed at a temporary altar carrying a large picture of the singer.

'Great times'

Fellow Beatle Sir Paul McCartney said he would remember his old friend by doing what they liked best - making music.

And he said the murdered star would be "tickled" to know the group had a number one album two decades after his death.

"I'll be thinking of all the great times that we had together, and I'll be remembering him with all the love in my heart."

Lennon and McCartney formed one of the most famous writing partnerships in the history of music and spent more than 12 years making music together.

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The enduring power of their songs is demonstrated by the fact that the Beatles' greatest hits album, 1, has sold an estimated 12 million copies since its launch a month ago.

Even in Cuba, where Lennon's music is banned for its "ideological weaknesses", a statue has been erected in his memory.

The former Beatle was shot dead by obsessed fan Mark Chapman on 8 December 1980 as he left his New York apartment.

Friday's vigil in New York has been marred by Mayor Rudolph Giuliani's refusal to suspend Central Park's 0100 curfew to accommodate the hundreds of fans expected.

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Even a personal plea from Liverpool's lord mayor, Councillor Edwin Clein, failed to change his mind.

Angry fan Eric Paulin, 45, who turns out every year with his band to play Beatles music, said: "We'd rather not be out here singing. We'd rather have John Lennon alive."

Reflection

But Mayor Giuliani said: "It's dangerous for a lot of people when you keep the park open, and it requires a tremendous amount of additional security."

Every year since Lennon's death fans have gathered in the park opposite the spot where the rock icon was shot.

Lennon's widow, Yoko Ono, leaves a single lighted candle in her window at the Dakota apartments as a sign of solidarity with the fans.