THE heartache of witnessing her son's torment at the hands of his Iraqi captives proved too much for Lil Bigley last night.

Only hours after making a desperate plea for mercy, the 86-year-old was taken to hospital after falling ill at her Liverpool home.

The stress of a week of anxious waiting and not knowing what fate will befall 62-year-old hostage Ken had taken its toll.

Mrs Bigley was in Aintree University Hospital last night where her condition was stable. It was not clear what she was being treated for.

Earlier, consultant Dr Mashood Siddiqi, who had been asked by the family to check on her, said she had been under a lot of stress but was coping.

A spokeswoman for Merseyside Police said: "The family thank the media for their support, but want to be with her tonight and look after her."

The pensioner has had to live with the knowledge her son faces execution at the hands of the Tawhid and Jihad group if their demands are not met.

She will be aware Mr Bigley's two US co-workers were beheaded this week.

But she still faced the television cameras for the first time last night to add her voice to the desperate pleas to save her son's life.

She begged for Mr Bigley to be sent home only an hour after Prime Minister Tony Blair telephoned the family for the second time this week.

Supported by her sons Philip, 49, and Stan, 67, she said: "Would you please help my son? He is only a working man who wants to support his family.

"Please show mercy to Ken and send him home to me alive. His family need him. I need him."

Stan Bigley said his mother only wanted to protect her son and told how even her experiences in Ireland and during her long life had not prepared her for this.

Philip Bigley said: "As well as being desperately concerned for Ken's safety, we have collectively been trying to protect our elderly mother from any additional trauma by not allowing her to be exposed to the media.

"However, she asked that we now let her do something to help. It is the bond that exists between a mother and child that is driving her to personally say a few words directly to Ken's captors."

But within two hours of making her appeal, an ambulance was called to Mrs Bigley's home and she was admitted to hospital.

Earlier, Mr Bigley's Thai wife, Sombat, begged to be reunited with her beloved "ordinary, hard-working, family man".

She had seen the footage of her husband, and said: "We have been married for seven years and I love him very much. I desperately want to be reunited with my husband."