Alan Henning memorial: Hundreds pay tribute to murdered aid worker at Manchester service

The tribute entitled His Life and Legacy Remembered included speeches from friends of the popular 47-year-old taxi driver and also faith and political leaders

Barbara Henning, second left, is seen with their children Adam and Lucy (PA)

Hundreds of well-wishers gathered tonight to pay tribute to murdered British hostage Alan Henning and to remember him as “a local, national and world hero”.

His widow, Barbara, children Adam and Lucy, together with other family members, attended the ceremony at the British Muslim Heritage Centre in Whalley Range, Manchester.

The tribute entitled His Life and Legacy Remembered included speeches from friends of the popular 47-year-old taxi driver and also faith and political leaders.

Opening the service, Dr Usman Choudhry said: "In short we are here to remember a hero. A local hero, a national hero and we will also say a world hero.

"A hero who left the comfort of his own home for no other reason than to help the destitute and needy refugees of Syria.

"A hero who put the needs of others before his own and that hero is Alan Henning."

He added that the service, organised by friends and humanitarian aid colleagues of Mr Henning, also served to support "those willing to stand up for the rights of humanity and the poor and the repressed, and are prepared to work and not just talk about what they believe in".

A video tribute was played to the audience in which several Syrian children who Mr Henning helped spoke of how much they missed "Uncle Gadget" - the aid worker's nickname.

Last Sunday, Mrs Henning and her family joined hundreds of well-wishers at a service of "reflection and solidarity" at Eccles Parish Church in Salford.

A video showing the brutal murder of Mr Henning - who was kidnapped last December in Syria by Islamic State (IS) militants - was posted on the internet by the group last week.

Mr Henning, from Eccles, was captured while delivering food and supplies on an aid convoy to refugees.

PA