INTERNATIONAL Aid volunteer Alan Henning who was killed by Islamic State while providing humanitarian relief in Syria will be posthumously honoured by the University of Salford.

Mr Henning, aged 47, was part of a Bolton convoy delivering aid to Syria in December 2013 when he was taken hostage.

He was captured soon after arriving in the country.

Mr Henning will be honoured with a posthumous Doctorate today at the graduation ceremony.

It is in recognition of the selfless relief work that Mr Henning dedicated himself to, The University of Salford has honoured Alan with a posthumous Doctorate of the University.  This award will be collected by his children, Lucy and Adam.

Alan Henning’s wife, Barbara said: “On behalf of the family I would like to thank the University of Salford for honouring Alan in this way.  We are extremely proud of him and hope that he will always be remembered as the kind, caring person he was, who made a decision to go and help those less fortunate, and whose life was taken because of that decision.

“We would also like to express our gratitude to the staff and students at the University.  Their compassion and support at the time of Alan’s death was a great comfort to the family.”

University of Salford Vice Chancellor, Professor Helen Marshall added: “The values that Alan stood for and embodied, in his efforts to help the world’s most vulnerable people, are the values of Salford and of our University. 

"Today we celebrate Alan’s work, he will be remembered with pride by all Salfordians.”