Father of John Cantlie who is being held hostage by Islamic State has died after appealing for him to be released

Paul Cantlie, 80, from Droxford died ''from complications following pneumonia'', according to a family statement.

He recorded an impassioned video message for his son John's captors earlier this month, calling on them to give the hostage up.

In a statement, Mr Cantlie's family said: ''Paul died not knowing whether John's captors had received any of the messages he had sent to them.''

They said they had made ''urgent'' attempts to contact the hostage and inform him, since the death last Thursday, October 16.

The family said Paul Cantlie's physical strength had been diminishing since the kidnap of his photojournalist son, from Surrey. by jihadists two years ago.

In a statement, the family said: ''It is with great sadness that we announce that Paul Cantlie, father of Jessica, Toby and John Henry, and husband to his late wife Carol, died on the morning of Thursday 16 October, from complications following pneumonia.

''His family have, over the last few days, urgently tried to contact John to let him know about their father's death before it is made public.

''Many in the country will recall the recent broadcast from his hospital bed, when so demonstrably ill, but determined that his journalist son John should hear from his father 'how very proud I am of him'.

''He totally deplored what he and many others saw as an abuse of power by Tony Blair when the UK went into Iraq in 2003. With many others, he called for Tony Blair to be indicted for war crimes.''

The statement added: ''Paul died not knowing whether John's captors had received any of the messages he had sent to them. The failure of communication to date has inevitably led to a terrible sense of abandonment, particularly for John's father, with the family feeling ignored.

''This burden has been especially hard these last few days, as we have so needed to tell John that his father, whom he so loved, has died.

''Paul Cantlie will be remembered by many for his fortitude, quiet courage, wry humour and keen intelligence, as well as for his great gentleness.

''As life became increasingly hard, these qualities shone ever more brightly and he leaves behind a steady beacon for Jessica, Toby, John Henry and the wider family to steer by as they struggle with the realities they all currently face.''

John Cantlie had been shown in a series of videos in recent weeks in which he speaks about Islamic State (IS), and criticises both the United States and UK governments over their strategies for dealing with the terrorists.

Mr Cantlie, who wears an orange jumpsuit and appears to be reading from prepared scripts each time, has said it is true he is a prisoner but claimed he had been abandoned by the Government.

In a video message from his hospital bed earlier this month, the hostage's father said: ''My family and I are trying to communicate with the Islamic State to deliver an important message regarding John and can only hope that it's been received as we have had no response.

''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. This was followed by the feeling of despair and helplessness.

''To those holding John, please know that he is a good man. He sought only to help the Syrian people and I ask you for all that is sacred to help us and allow him to return home safely to those he loves and those who love him.''

Free my son - ill father pleads for release of hostage son

The Cantlie family’s full statement:

''Paul Cantlie July 6 1934 - October 16 2014

''It is with great sadness that we announce that Paul Cantlie, father of Jessica, Toby and John Henry, and husband to his late wife Carol, died on the morning of Thursday October 16, from complications following pneumonia. Mr Cantlie's physical strength had been waning since the kidnap of his younger son, John Cantlie, nearly two years ago. His family have, over the last few days, urgently tried to contact John to let him know about their father's death before it is made public.

''Many in the country will recall the recent broadcast from his hospital bed, when so demonstrably ill, but determined that his journalist son John should hear from his father 'how very proud I am of him'. John Henry is his youngest child and has been held by ISIS since November 2012, when he was kidnapped while reporting on the atrocities being carried out by Assad in Syria. Mr Cantlie, a retired naval architect, had been deeply concerned by the hesitancy of the UK to intervene against Assad, although like most, he was wary of making matters worse. He totally deplored what he and many others saw as an abuse of power by Tony Blair when the UK went into Iraq in 2003. With many others, he called for Tony Blair to be indicted for war crimes.

''Paul died not knowing whether John's captors had received any of the messages he had sent to them. The failure of communication to date has inevitably led to a terrible sense of abandonment, particularly for John's father, with the family feeling ignored. This burden has been especially hard these last few days, as we have so needed to tell John that his father, whom he so loved, has died.

''Paul Cantlie will be remembered by many for his fortitude, quiet courage, wry humour and keen intelligence, as well as for his great gentleness. As life became increasingly hard, these qualities shone ever more brightly and he leaves behind a steady beacon for Jessica, Toby, John Henry and the wider family to steer by as they struggle with the realities they all currently face.

''Paul Cantlie was the middle son of Lieutenant Colonel Kenneth Cantlie and Phyllis (nee Gage-Brown) and is survived by brothers Hugh and Bruce. His father designed much of the railway infrastructure throughout China and the two elder Cantlie boys were brought up in Nanking until the Japanese invasion. In his later years Paul Cantlie gave a huge amount of his time to Southampton General Hospital, where he was latterly a governor. He was following in the footsteps of his grandfather, Sir James Cantlie, who worked throughout his life for others - co-founder of the Hospital of Tropical Medicine in both London and in Hong Kong and, with his wife Mabel, co-founded both the volunteer sections of the Royal Army Medical Corps and the St John Ambulance Brigade. During the First World War, they both worked tirelessly for the Red Cross.''