THE families of North-East soldiers killed in one of the Iraq War's most horrific incidents last night condemned the Government's betrayal of British soldiers in sending them to war.

Relatives of the six Army Red Caps, killed by an Iraqi mob in June 2003, spoke out as the country prepares to mark the fourth anniversary of the Iraq War, tomorrow.

John Miller, from Washington, Wearside, whose son, Corporal Simon Miller, died in the attack by the 400-strong Iraqi mob in a police station in Majar al-Kabir, criticised the "egotistical" war and the way British troops had been treated.

He said he had always believed in total withdrawal of British troops, but now wanted enough stability to allow Iraqi authorities to execute the warrant issued for his son's killers.

He said: "I dont want any more blood spilled of a British soldier for what was an egotistical war that hasn't changed anything.

"My son died believing a madman had weapons of mass destruction, which could be deployed in 45 minutes. He died before it came out that was a lie. I feel my son died for nothing."

Pat Long, from South Shields, whose son Corporal Paul Long also died in the incident, called for the return of all British troops from the war-torn country.

She said: "They should pull out straightaway because it is not going to get any better.

"The lads are meant to be out there to build the country again, but they the Iraqis don't want them out there, so why have them out there?"

Reg Keys, whose son, Lance Corporal Thomas Keys, also died in the incident, stood against the Prime Minister in his Sedgefield constituency in the 2005 General Election.

Mr Keys, of Bala, North Wales, said Tony Blair and US President George Bush had lifted the lid off a hornets' nest in invading Iraq, and poked a stick in as well.

The father of a British soldier who was shot dead while on sentry duty in Basra in November fought back tears as he told last night of his fears for the safety of his second soldier son.

Eddie Hancock, 60, spoke of the pain of losing his "fearless and patriotic" son, Jamie, 19, of the 2nd Battalion Duke of Lancasters Regiment, who had volunteered to serve in Iraq.

His brother, Corporal Joe Hancock, 24, of the 1st Battalion, is based at Catterick, North Yorkshire, where he works for the Regimental Police. Mr Hancock said: "Obviously it is a worry if he ends up being sent to Iraq."

Anti-war campaigners will hold a people's assembly in London this week as part of events to mark the fourth anniversary of the start of the conflict.

Meanwhile, new estimates show the number of deaths in Iraq since the start of the conflict could be as high as one million.

An Australian scientist published the figure using four sets of independent data, including information from the United Nations Childrens Fund and the UN's population division, as well as medical literature.

Dr Gideon Polyas figure is far higher than the previous biggest estimate of 655,000.