TWO years after the kidnap of Blackburn student Paul Wells and three other Westerners, relatives tied yellow ribbons around a tree in a gesture of hope.

"I ask God to give us strength, courage and patience so that we can find our beloved ones," said Julie Mangan, wife of Paul's fellow British captive Keith at a church in the Kashmir Valley's largest city, Srinagar.

On July 4, 1995, Americans Donald Hutchings and John Childs and Britons Paul Wells, of Bracken Close, Feniscowles, and Keith Mangan, from Middlesbrough, were captured by Al-Faran militants.

Childs escaped four days later. But on the same day, the captors abducted German Dirk Hasert and Norwegian Hans Christian Ostroe, who was later found beheaded.

Yesterday Julie Mangan and Dirk Hasert's sister, Birgit, tied yellow ribbons around a pine tree on the sprawling lawns of the deserted All Saints Church.

"I still remember you Keith," Julie said. "I still wait for you."

Captured terrorists have told Indian authorities that the men were killed in December, 1995, and buried in a cave in a forest surrounding Magam.

Searches have failed to find any clues.

However, American hostage Donald Hutchings's wife, Jane Schelly, says she has been inspired by words from Terry Waite, the former Beirut captive.

Schelly said: "To look into Waite's eyes and hear him say, 'Don't give up until there is proof positive,' certainly made a tremendous impact on me."

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