Britain mourns for Madrid dead

Hundreds attended a remembrance service in London

UK politicians and members of the public have offered support to the Spanish people as they mourn the loss of almost 200 in the Madrid bombings.

A Spanish mass was held at Westminster Cathedral in London, while Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott attended Madrid's official rally.

Mr Prescott said Britain offered solidarity to Spain.

He warned the UK would have to remain vigilant to avoid a similar atrocity occurring here.

Up to two million people attended the anti-terror rally in Madrid, with millions more at other events across Spain.

Mr Prescott, speaking from Madrid, told BBC News: "This was Spain reacting to an outrageous, barbaric act of terrorism and I am very proud to be here representing the UK and offering our solidarity to them."

While their compatriots demonstrated back home, hundreds of Spaniards living in the UK filled Westminster Cathedral for an emotional mass in memory of the Madrid victims.

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Many were visibly upset as they attended the sombre service held by Archbishop Pablo Nuncio.

Some carried candles. Others carried Spanish flags and wore black ribbons or "11-Marzo" stickers on their coats.

Several held banners reading Stop Terror Now.

Friends and family clung to each other for support as they sang hymns in Spanish and stood in silence in memory of the victims.

Earlier, about 200 people attended a vigil at the Spanish Embassy, marking the deaths in Madrid with five minutes' silence.

Prime Minister Tony Blair offered his support earlier on Friday.

He said the new war on terror was a fight against "dangerous fanatics" and that Britain must never be in the background

Home Secretary David Blunkett told Labour's spring conference in Manchester the "tentacles of terrorism" were reaching out to every corner of the world.

The greatest challenge of all was to protect democratic rights in the face of the threat of suicide bombers who had changed all the rules, he said.

Britons hurt

One woman from Northern Ireland was injured in the attacks.

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The UK Foreign Office confirmed another Briton, a man living in Spain, had also been injured, while media reports said two other British men had also been hurt.

Denise Gilroy, an English teacher who left Belfast 20 years ago and now lives in Spain, was on one of the trains when the bombs went off.

She told BBC News: "What has struck me most is the young children. Boys and girls, 15, 16, I saw them getting on the train listening to their music, laughing, talking.

"Seeing also the people getting on happily in the morning, reading their newspaper, but not thinking it was the train of death.

"Those people, I think about their shattered families and my heart really goes out to them."

The Irish presidency of the European Union has asked member states to observe three minutes of silence on Monday to mourn the victims the attacks.

A UK government spokesman confirmed Britain endorsed this, and the silence would start at midday.

The Foreign Office website has already updated its travel advice to tourists recommending vigilance in public places in Spain.