Although Avril Sweeney was aware her son, who was taken hostage in Iraq in 2007, had suffered greatly during his 946 days in captivity, she has only now learned details of his desperate fight for survival.

Mr Moore, who was released in December, said there were "many, many times" when he thought he would be killed.

In particular, he relived the terrible moment when, on one occasion, his guards blindfolded him, put a pistol to his head and pulled the trigger while another gun was fired behind his back.

Mrs Sweeney, of Fairholmes Way, Thornton, said: "What Peter went through is just unimaginable.

"Even if you're not his mother, if you are a member of the public, hearing someone talk about how a group of men pretend to execute you, and then laugh, is terrible.

"When we spoke a few weeks ago Peter had not gone into that much detail, so it was shocking to hear him talk about these things.

"Yet in another way, it wasn't, because I knew he must have been through an awful lot and he just couldn't talk about it."

Mr Moore, a 36 year-old IT consultant, was working at Baghdad's Finance Ministry when he was taken hostage by a Shia Militia group.

He was kidnapped alongside Alec MacLachlan, 30, from South Wales, Jason Swindlehurst, 38, from Skelmersdale, Jason Creswell, 39, and Alan McNenemy, 34, both from Glasgow.

The bodies of three of the men were recovered by the British authorities last year. Mr McNenemy, whose body has not been found, is also thought to have been killed.

Mrs Sweeney made many heartfelt appeals for her son's safe return during his time in captivity.

During this terrible time she could only imagine what was happening to her son, who lives in Lincoln.

Mr Moore said: "I just thought I was dead. And then I realised I could still hear laughing, I was still handcuffed and that wasn't the case. We were in chains, shackled, blindfolded, handcuffed, periodically beaten, water poured over us.

"I'm very grateful to Jason, Jason, Alec and Alan, for the help and advice and the medical treatment I received following my abduction.

"Certainly without that help and advice I definitely wouldn't be stood here today."

After being dramatically released on December 30, Mr Moore was kept in a safe house while he was debriefed by police.

Mrs Sweeney says she is looking forward to seeing her son after such a long time apart.

She added: "Peter looks fantastic, but there's a lot going on inside his head that he is not revealing.

"But how can you jump straight back into normal life after being subjected to what he went through?

"It's lovely that one of the first places he went to was the cathedral, to honour his friends.

"I pray he continues on his path to recovery, and I can't wait for him to come and visit me when he is good and ready, so we can have a proper chat."