The mother of a soldier killed during the conflict in Iraq condemned Prime Minister Tony Blair after he refused to meet her and other bereaved parents to discuss a campaign for troops to be withdrawn.

Families of soldiers killed in the conflict, including Pauline Hickey, whose 30-year-old son Sergeant Christian Hickey died in a roadside bomb blast in October, handed in a letter at 10 Downing Street calling on Mr Blair to meet them.

The families said the deaths of two British soldiers from 2nd Battalion The Parachute Regiment on Tuesday meant that more families would be enduring "agony".

"A meeting might give you pause for thought and to reconsider. It is time for you to take us and our views seriously. We believe we speak for the majority in this country in our desire to bring the troops home," the letter said.

The Prime Minister was at the House of Commons when the families walked up Downing Street to deliver the letter.

Mrs Hickey, of East Bierley, whose son was serving in the 1st Battalion, The Coldstream Guards only joined the campaign by the military families yesterday following the latest deaths of two British solders. She said: "I want to get justice for my son and I want answers from Tony Blair. He has got something to hide and the man obviously has little humanity.

"Every time someone else dies we relive the death of our son who was due to come home three days after he was killed.

"I want to know the Prime Minister's reasons for invading Iraq. I personally abhor violence but we thought our son was going as a peacemaker."

Mrs Hickey said that initially she did not speak out but she admitted she was becoming angrier every day the conflict continued, adding: "I need to get some answers."

Rose Gentle, whose son Gordon, 19, of the Royal Highland Fusiliers died in June 2004, revealed she received a personally signed letter from the Prime Minister two weeks ago which said: "I am afraid a meeting with you will not be possible."

Military Families Against the War had asked to meet Mr Blair on several occasions without success.

Spokesman Andrew Burgin said: "The unnecessary deaths of two more UK soldiers yesterday emphasises the need to pull the troops out of Iraq where they are operating without any support from the local population or regional political authorities."

The open letter to the Prime Minister was signed by relatives of 20 British soldiers killed in Iraq.