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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| Alan Henning memorial service held in Manchester | Alan Henning memorial service held in Manchester |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Hundreds of people are attending a memorial service for murdered British hostage Alan Henning in Manchester. | |
| The 47-year-old was beheaded by Islamic State (IS) militants after he was captured in December while delivering food and supplies to Syrian refugees. | The 47-year-old was beheaded by Islamic State (IS) militants after he was captured in December while delivering food and supplies to Syrian refugees. |
| His widow Barbara and children Adam and Lucy were at the service at the British Muslim Heritage Centre. | |
| Opening the ceremony, Dr Usman Choudry said it was to honour a "local hero, a national hero" and "a world hero". | |
| He added: "A hero who left the comfort of his own home for no other reason than to help the destitute and needy refugees of Syria. | |
| 'Extraordinary individual' | 'Extraordinary individual' |
| "A hero who put the needs of others before his own and that hero is Alan Henning." | |
| He said 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 [who] are prepared to work and not just talk about what they believe in". | |
| A video tribute was played featuring several Syrian children who Mr Henning had helped, saying how much they missed "Uncle Gadget" - a reference to Mr Henning's nickname. | |
| Ahead of the ceremony, Mr Henning's friend Dr Shameela Zulfiqar had praised his "golden-hearted selflessness". | |
| Faith leaders were due to speak at the service, entitled His Life and Legacy Remembered. | Faith leaders were due to speak at the service, entitled His Life and Legacy Remembered. |
| Organisers had earlier urged people to "join together to remember an extraordinary individual and the need to continue his legacy of humanitarian aid work". | |
| They wrote on Facebook that the ceremony was "for people of all faiths and none to stand together, unite and continue the work". | They wrote on Facebook that the ceremony was "for people of all faiths and none to stand together, unite and continue the work". |
| More than £30,000 has been raised for Mr Henning's family so far through online appeals set up after his death. | More than £30,000 has been raised for Mr Henning's family so far through online appeals set up after his death. |
| Organisers hope to raise £50,000 to help the children he was "so motivated to help in Syria", said Dr Zulfiqar. | Organisers hope to raise £50,000 to help the children he was "so motivated to help in Syria", said Dr Zulfiqar. |
| Last Sunday, Mrs Henning and her children attended a service of "reflection and solidarity" at Eccles Parish Church, in Salford. | |
| Mr Henning, a taxi driver from Salford, was on an aid convoy when he was kidnapped in Syria in December 2013. | Mr Henning, a taxi driver from Salford, was on an aid convoy when he was kidnapped in Syria in December 2013. |
| A video purporting show his beheading was released last week. | A video purporting show his beheading was released last week. |
| Last month MPs voted to authorise RAF air strikes against IS in Iraq, at the invitation of the Iraqi government. | Last month MPs voted to authorise RAF air strikes against IS in Iraq, at the invitation of the Iraqi government. |
| The UK is among more than 40 nations that have joined forces to challenge the extremist group. | The UK is among more than 40 nations that have joined forces to challenge the extremist group. |