A CLOSE friend of captured aid worker Alan Henning says he is in daily contact with the hostage’s family.

Islamic State (IS) jihadists are threatening to kill the 47-year-old married father-of-two who is thought to have been kidnapped around Christmas time just after crossing into Syria from Turkey.

Bolton aid worker and fellow volunteer Kasim Jameel, who travelled to Syria with Mr Henning, said: “I had hoped he would be home by now because he is just a humanitarian who travelled with us to make a difference.

“That is all he wants to do. He told me he gave up Christmas with his family to help. If he could make a difference to one child and bring a smile to their face he was happy.”

It is believed Mr Henning was captured just 30 minutes after arriving in Syria. It was his fourth humanitarian trip to the country.

The threats made by IS were shown at the end of a video released on Saturday showing the barbaric killing of British hostage David Haines.

Mr Henning, from Eccles, travelled from Bolton to Syria in December last year with eight other volunteers from the town.

Mr Jameel added: “He is a genuine person a totally amazing guy. He just could not sit and watch what was going on. He wanted to go to make sure the supplies were reaching the people. That’s why he went.”

Mr Jameel who calls Mr Henning “Gadget” because of his love of technology, said his friend was in his thoughts and prayers and that he was doing what he could to support his family.

Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said yesterday that British forces do not know where Mr Henning was being held.

Mr Hammond said Mr Henning’s family was “going through hell” but that they understood there was a limit to what the Government could do.

He added: “It is a terrible time for them. We are doing everything that we can to protect him.”