A PLANNED visit to Russia on Friday by the Lord Mayor of Canterbury, Cllr Martin Vye, is to go ahead despite the terrorist outrage in Beslan.

Cllr Vye and his wife, Jennifer, the Lady Mayoress, are scheduled to fly from Heathrow to Moscow early in the morning to fulfil a long-standing invitation.

The go-ahead for the trip to take place was given today after discussions on security aspects between Canterbury City Council officials and the Foreign Office.

Cllr Vye is heading a seven-man delegation bound for Vladimir, the Russian town 125 miles from Moscow that forms part of the Three Towns Association with Canterbury and Bloomington-National, Illinois, USA.

Security has been a major issue but the Canterbury delegation insisted that personal safety was of little consequence at a time of international grief for the dead and injured of Beslan.

Vladimir's planned festival-style welcome has been scaled down dramatically in sympathy for the plight of the grieving families.

A more sombre itinerary, respectful of the grief of a nation, will be followed.

William Pettit, the council's liaison officer for twinning, said: "The Russians were keen for this trip to go-ahead despite the awful event.

"They didn't want the tragedy to change our plans, although they quite naturally have scaled down the festivities.

"We will discuss a sharing of opportunities that only be of benefit to them and to Canterbury in terms of tourism.

"For a time this trip was hanging in the balance. Clearly, security will be tight."

As Russia began two days of mourning and the people of Beslan buried their dead, the shock waves of the tragedy spread to east Kent.

A candle has burned day and night all week in Canterbury Cathedral crypt and a book of condolence was opened for visitors.

As the official death count rose well beyond 300, worshippers from all over the world filed into the Cathedral's Chapel of the Holy Innocents to write some carefully chosen words.

The book will remain open for several weeks before it is sent to the Russian Embassy in London. Special prayers for the dead and the bereaved of Beslan have been said all week at the Cathedral.

Evensong on Tuesday evening was devoted to the plight of the Russian people. Cathedral spokesman Christopher Robinson said: "We are trying to be flexible. We are trying to respond in such a way as we feel appropriate."

The Cathedral authorities will consider the plight of the bereaved families when they discuss the charities they will support over the next 12 months.

An announcement is expected to be made in November.

Meanwhile, the 16 Russian students attending Kent College, Canterbury, were invited to support the official two-day mourning period by visiting the school chapel.

The majority of the 27 nationalities on the college roll took advantage of the invitation to pay homage to the Beslen dead. They lit candles and prayed.

Kent College chaplain, the Rev Eden Fletcher, said: "We are all appalled by the terrorist outrage. It has had a profound effect on us all here because we are an international community."

Meanwhile, UNICEF South East dispatched two trucks of medical supplies, worth £50,000, to hospitals in Beslan and Vladikavkaz this week to help treat the injured.