MURDERED aid worker Alan Henning was killed for being "selfless and caring,” his widow has told a memorial service.

The married father-of-two was killed by Islamic State (IS) militants after being taken hostage on an aid mission to Syria.

This afternoon saw a private memorial service for Mr Henning held at Eccles Parish Church.

His widow Barbara told the memorial: “We must never forget the reason why he went to Syria and the reason he was taken from us - for being what we all should be, selfless and caring."

She said she had been comforted by the words of well-wishers who have told her Alan will live on in their two teenage children, Lucy and Adam, and the grandchildren she will one day have.

Mrs Henning also revealed the loving, witty and caring man was a great joker and a terrible snorer.

At the wedding of his nephew, where he was best man, Alan produced two Hula Hoops instead of the rings, she said.

Mr Henning, a former taxi driver, had joined a convoy from Greater Lever with friends from Bolton to deliver food and supplies to refugees.

The 47-year-old was kidnapped on Boxing Day last year within an hour of crossing the border into Syria, before a video showing his beheading was released last month.

Audio of the service was relayed to the gathered crowds in Eccles town centre – with many wearing yellow ties and scarves in an echo of the yellow ribbons which decorated the church.

In attendance at the service were the family of David Haines, from Scone in Scotland, who was also murdered by IS.

Mrs Henning asked for donations to be made to Hostage UK, a charity which helps the families of kidnap victims.

She said her thoughts were with the families of John Foley, Steven Sotloff, David Haines and Peter Kassig, the other Westerners who were beheaded by IS.

She added: "I hope and pray that John Cantlie will be released and returned to his family so that they are spared the horror."

In a statement she released before the memorial, Mrs Henning said her children may never understand why their father was taken from them.

She said: "Alan was a peaceful, selfless man who left his family in the UK at Christmas 2013 to drive in a convoy all the way to Syria with his Muslim colleagues and friends to help those most in need. We, as a family, are extremely proud of him.”

Mr Henning's murder is thought to have been at the hands of "Jihadi John", an IS fighter who speaks with a London accent and who is apparently responsible for the four other hostage killings.