AN audio file of British hostage Alan Henning pleading for his life has been sent to his family, the Foreign Office has said.

In a statement, Mr Henning's wife said Islamic State continued to ignore pleas "to open dialogue".

Barbara Henning added: "I and people representing me continue to reach out to those holding Alan."

Mr Henning - a volunteer aid worker - was captured in December last year after travelling on a convoy from Bolton to Syria.

In a statement issued by the Foreign Office, Mrs Henning said: "I have a further message for Islamic State.

"An audio file of Alan pleading for his life has just been received by me.

"I and people representing me continue to reach out to those holding Alan.

"Islamic State continue to ignore our pleas to open dialogue.

"I have seen Muslims across the globe question Islamic State over Alan's fate. The voices of the people have spoken out loud and clear.

"He was working with Muslims to help the most vulnerable within Syria. Nothing has changed. He went to Syria to help his Muslim friends deliver much needed aid.

"We are at a loss why those leading Islamic State cannot open their hearts and minds to the facts surrounding Alan's imprisonment and why they continue to threaten his life.

"I have been told that he has been to a Sharia court and found innocent of being a spy and declared to be no threat. I implore Islamic State to abide by the decisions of their own justice system.

"Please release Alan."

The 47-year-old aid worker was shown at the end of a video released earlier this month after the beheading of fellow British captive David Haines.

Yesterday Mr Henning's brother-in-law expressed fears that US-led air strikes could make it harder to find and rescue the hostage.

Mr Henning is thought to have been held in the IS stronghold of Raqqa - one of the targets of the latest US-led aerial bombardment.

Colin Livesey: “It does scare me. Because if they're going to do air strikes on them, they'll just run away," he told ITV News. "They'll take him with them and no one will know where he is again.

"Time will tell if it's worked. I don't want to lose the faith in knowing he's coming home."

He added: "He thought he was doing the right thing by going up there and helping other people in another country, to give them aid, because that's the sort of guy he is.

"He just went there, pure and simple, to help kids out. That's all he did it for. He doesn't deserve what's happening to him now," he said.

"The Alan I know is a nice, genuine, down-to-earth guy. He'll do anybody any favours whatsoever.

"He's a funny lad. He's a loving husband and a loving father to two beautiful kids and an all-round nice guy. He's just an amazing guy and we all love him to bits.

"He's so passionate about what he does and that makes us so proud of him.

"To do it at Christmas, to miss his own family Christmas to go to Syria, speaks volumes of what a man he is. Which is an amazing bloke.

"I'm devastated for my sister and his kids. I'm devastated myself and I've got to stay strong and pray.

"And fingers crossed he'll be back home safe because he deserves to be safe because he never did anything wrong. He doesn't deserve this."

A vigil is being held for people to pray for the safe return of Mr Henning tomorrow night (Wednesday) in Bolton.

All are invited to take part in the event tomorrow to join together in prayer for the release of the former taxi driver from Eccles, who was kidnapped by Islamic State.

It has been organised by Bolton Interfaith Council and will be held at Bolton Council of Mosques in Vicarage Street at 6pm.