THE BRITISH Prime Minister, Mr Major, and the Labour Party leader, Mr Tony Blair, put aside politics and toured the town as standard bearers of the nation's sympathy.

Mr Major, who last night urged the nation to observe a minute's silence on Mother's Day, and Mr Blair spent an hour and a half inside the central Scotland school where they met the school board and members of the staff.

The two, who were grave laced and sombre throughout their visit, were briefed by police and toured the buildings seeing the bullets holes and gym before emerging with wreaths.

After laying his tribute, Mr Major told reporters: "I don't think it is possible to put into words what they have had to deal with and the way they have coped with all of it is remarkable in every respect.

"The community and the school will need to pull together over the weeks and months ahead but I think the strength and resilience that I found in the school today suggests that hugely difficult task can be done."

Mr Blair, \who at times appeared close to tears, said: "We have seen for ourselves both the enormity of the evil act perpetrated at the school but also the quite extraordinary courage and resilience of the staff and everyone connected to the school and the local community.

"We are both absolutely proud to have been here and paid our respects to them. This community has suffered so much and yet there is so much strength in it. And we feel, we hope, that in this small way by coming here together we have shown our respect for them and our deep and profound sympathy," the Labour leader added.

The politicians spoke to the injured parents and staff during a visit which overran by around 30 minutes.

"I don't think that there is any doubt in the minds of everybody in that hospital and certainly none of the people we've met that they have had to face an horrific job and have done it with immense skill and dedication." Mr Major said.

Mr Blair told newsmen in a voice breaking with emotion: "I think we both found this distressing and certainly very moving, and I hope that our coming together can symbolise the unity of the country in sympathy for Dunblane."

During their meetings with staff inside, Mr Blair had told ambulance men: "I can't imagine the horror. You must be so strong."

The Shadow Scottish Secretary, Mr George Robertson, who was also in the party and whose children are former pupils at the school summed up the mood of the visit when he told nurses: "Thanks for everything you did, and I hope you never have to do it again.

The staff at the infirmary have been caring for five wounded children and two teachers.

In a separate move Mr Major threw his support behind moves for a national silence on Mother's Day.

He said: "It is important for people to pay their respects in the wake of Wednesday's tragedy. A minute's silence on Sunday would be one way of achieving this."

The Prime Minister added: "I shall observe it and I am sure others will also."

Many sporting organisations said they would mark it before their matches tomorrow.

Leaders of the Catholic Church in Britain said prayers and not silence should be offered for the people of Dunblane.

In a joint statement Cardinals Thomas Winning and Basil Home said: "The Christian response to such tragedy is not silence, but rather fervent prayer to God for the victims, their families, the community and our society.

Last night more than 1,000 people packed into the beautiful 12th century stone cathedral in Dunblane for a vigil of hymns and prayers.

By 7 p.m. when the vigil was due to begin, all the aisles and pews were full. Outside a queue of thousands snaked round the city streets.

Tiny children, the same age as those in Primary 1, clung to their parents as they stood in the cold night air.