Critically ill daughter found in hospital

But Martine Wright, 32, of Stroud Green, north London, was said to be in a critical condition and the relatives who had scoured the streets in the wake of Thursday's terrorist attacks to find her were too distraught to talk.

Ms Wright, who is a marketing executive, had failed to turn up for work in Tower Hill and was feared to be on the Aldgate train that was the first to be hit by a bomb blast.

Sarah Jones and Jacqui Larcombe, friends of Ms Wright, had toured the areas affected on Thursday, handing out photographs of their friend to passers-by before she was eventually found. They were in tears.

The petite, curly haired woman would talk to anyone, Ms Jones said, which was why they originally thought she was failing to answer her telephone. They believed that she could be busy helping others at the blast scene.

But they began their search for her when they repeatedly failed to get through to their friend on her mobile phone. Even yesterday, it still had enough power to ring, but calls were going through to answerphone.

Ms Jones, who had known Ms Wright for 10 years, said: "As soon as the explosions started to go off, our friends who live and work in London began e-mailing and calling each other. I called Martine's work about 10.30am, but she had not turned up." Like other families which are anxiously seeking news of missing relatives, Ms Wright's family had trawled the hospitals across London to try to find her and were eventually successful - although it was unclear last night where she was being treated.

Nick Wiltshire, Ms Wright's boyfriend, is understood to have been the last person to speak to her on Wednesday night. He was also said to be too distraught to to talk.

Ms Wright's friends had been trying to stay calm and upbeat while they carried out the search. Ms Jones said: "We are her friends, and we've got to be there for her family and her boyfriend."

Tessa Jowell, the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, was last night put in charge of organising Government support for the families of victims of the bombing.

Ms Jowell, who was also apointed Olympics Minister this week, has considerable experience of in the role of victim and family support having previously been appointed by Tony Blair to take Cabinet responsibility for helping British victims of the 11 September attacks in New York and the Boxing day tsunami.

A Downing Street spokeswoman said last night: "The Prime Minister has asked Tessa Jowell to be the Cabinet minister responsible for ensuring families of victims of the bombs are supported."

Ms Jowell has already liaised with the Metropolitan Police and a range of voluntary agencies as part of her role.