DAVID Cameron has appealed to former Guantanamo Bay detainee Moazzam Begg to share any information he has about the Islamic State militants behind the capture of Western hostages.

Mr Begg, who is from Birmingham, has claimed he offered to help the Government secure the release of British hostage Alan Henning from Islamic State (IS) extremists but was prevented from issuing a direct appeal.

He also said he believed he knew those who held the murdered aid worker and had helped secure the release of hostages from extremists in Syria in the past.

The Prime Minister told BBC's North West Tonight: "We are very happy to work with anybody.

"These people in Syria are absolutely brutal and will stoop to any depths, and that is what's happened. But if Moazzam Begg has information about who these people are, he should provide it."

The Prime Minister defended the way the Government had handled the IS hostage situation following criticism from Mr Henning's family that they had been prevented from speaking out about his capture.

He said: "I think it's a really difficult issue and I don't think there are any easy answers. What we try and do is work very closely with the family, and I have obviously spoken to the family on a couple of occasions to hear their views.

"The approach we take is to work with the family, to try and find the hostages, but not to raise the media profile of an individual case because it can put that person at even greater risk."

Mr Henning's brother Reg urged Mr Begg to make efforts to save the lives of other hostages held by IS.

Reg Henning told the BBC: "If possible I would have liked anyone to have saved Alan's life, regardless of their history or background.

"If Moazzam Begg believes he could have saved my brother's life I would ask him to make the same efforts to save the lives of all hostages in Syria."