THE HAMPSHIRE dad of a journalist being held hostage by Islamic State militants has made an emotional appeal from his hospital bed to release his son from captivity.

Paul Cantlie's son John, is a photojournalist, who was working independently in Syria.

He has been held captive since 2012.

Last night it emerged the family of the 43-year-old, who appeared in a series of propaganda videos released by the insurgents, live in Droxford. Paul Cantlie, 81, delivered his heartbreaking appeal in a video, having undergone surgery for laryngeal cancer, speaking of his family’s “despair and helplessness”.

It came just hours before a video released on the internet this evening, which appears to show the beheading of British aid worker Alan Henning.

Pleading with those holding John captive, Paul says: “To those holding John, please know that he is a good man.

“He sought only to help the Syrian people and I ask you from all that is sacred to help us to allow him to return safely to those he loves and those who love him.”

Speaking with the help of a voice aid, Mr Cantlie said the family experienced “great relief” when they saw John alive in a televised broadcast – but how that feeling quickly turned to “despair”.

Referring to the moment he saw John in the clip, Mr Cantlie said: “For the first time in almost two years, we saw John when he made a televised broadcast during which he told viewers that he was still a prisoner of the Islamic State and that maybe he will live and maybe he will die.

“As a family we experienced great relief seeing and hearing John and knowing that he is alive, but this was followed by the feeling of despair and helplessness.”

Hostage Mr Cantlie, who has worked for newspapers including the Sunday Times, was seized in northern Syria, where he had been working as an independent photo journalist.

His father said that John had been “seeking out the true story of the suffering of the Syrian people and ensuring the world was made aware of their plight”.

Speaking about his son, Mr Cantlie said: “John felt a strong need to help in the best way that he could: as an impartial and respected journalist he knew that he could make a difference by acting as a platform for the world to listen to and take notice, using his journalistic skills for the good of the people; as a friend and as a civilian.

"I have had many messages saying they cannot conceive what we, his family and all those who love him, must be feeling.”

He spoke about the pride he has for his son, and said nothing would bring him “greater joy” than his release.

“Speaking entirely for myself, this is not how I had imagined I would be passing my 81st year. I want John to know how very proud I am of him.

"I can think of no greater joy than seeing him again, released and allowed to return to those who love him,” he said. Mr Cantlie said he and his family are trying to communicate with the Islamic state to deliver an “important message regarding John” and said they can only hope that it has been received but they have had no response.

Hostage Mr Cantlie, from Surrey, appeared to feature in a propaganda video released by extremists. The clip, which lasts for five-and-a-half minutes, shows Mr Cantlie sitting at a desk dressed in the now-familiar orange outfit worn by other IS hostages.

The video is introduced with the title Lend Me Your Ears and Messages From The British Detainee John Cantlie before the Briton appears on screen.

Mr Cantlie, who looks calm and appears to be reciting a prepared script, describes himself as a “long-term prisoner” and goes on to criticise US president Barack Obama's strategy of attempting to defeat IS fighters using air strikes.

This was the first of a series of videos released which have featured Mr Cantlie.