The Deal-based step-mother of the American photojournalist who was killed by Yemeni al-Qaeda militants on Saturday has described a gentle and sweet man.

Luke Somers, 33, was well known in Deal having partly grown up in the town, and he later visited step-mother Penny Bearman and sister Lucy Somers - even helping Mrs Bearman with her renowned murals.

The American national was murdered during a rescue mission, authorised by President Barack Obama after the al-Qaeda militants with links to IS released a video giving him three days to live on Thursday.

Speaking today, after being told of his murder on Saturday morning, Mrs Bearman said: “It would be brilliant if people looked at his work and read his message that comes from his pictures of Yemen and Yemani people being peaceful.

“He wanted good friendships between nations - he didn’t want his case as an excuse for stepping up conflict or talking about extremism.”

Luke had visited Deal in 2010 just before he went to Yemen. He was captured by a less staunch branch of al-Qaeda in September 2013 and sold to a more militant section.

“About a week before he was captured he was reported as saying he felt more safe in Yemen than in the States,” Mrs Bearman recalled.

"All he wanted to do was tell the story of the Yemeni people" - Penny Bearman about step-son Luke Somers

“He was part of their community. They had told people to leave the country so maybe there were fewer Westerners to pick on. He was blond and American so he must have stood out.”

She said that bandits operate in Yemen, knowing the kidnapping of a Westerner is lucrative, but the family knew Luke had not been betrayed, because the people he was with would have done everything they could to protect him.

“After he was kidnapped we didn’t know anything that was going on but we knew he was alive through a Yemeni contact who had broadcast his whereabouts and a video of him.”

Then on Friday, they saw the video with his captors making political demands.

Luke’s plea was filmed. He asked the US Government to “do what you can.”

His sister Lucy came back to Deal from Liverpool, where she is studying art. In a pro-active stance they filmed a family appeal asking for the British Government to recognise the plight of London-born Luke, and Penny contacted the Home Office, left a message with MP Charlie Elphicke, and even tweeted Tony Blair, who still have not replied “even on humanist grounds.”

But unknown to them President Obama had authorised a rescue mission, and when they were filming their plea, 40 special forces officers were being dropped off five miles away from where the hostages were being held.

Mrs Bearman understands they made their way through rough terrain to where the hostages were, but the militants became suspicious when a dog started barking. It resulted in a shoot out.

Tragically one guard went back in the building and opened fire on the hostages.

The American special forces personnel managed to get to the hostages, but South African charity worker Pierre Korkie died on the air craft and it is believed Luke died on board a nearby US naval ship.

His father, Mike Somers, who is staying in Kent, was woken by FBI agents and police officers in the early hours. He arrived in Deal at 6.15am, knocking at Mrs Bearman’s door.

She added: “Luke was very gentle and sweet. He was very idealistic. All he wanted to do was tell the story of the Yemeni people and he loved them and they loved him. He was very creative and had always loved to write. More recently he had turned to photography as the best way of telling a story.

Most of the people he was living with were of the Islamic faith and he appreciated their love of peace, family and their respect of the human life.”

She added: “The acts of extremists has nothing to do with their faith, it’s something that happens across the World by people who are using faith for violent acts. We are not to condemn a faith because of the actions of a few - that’s what Luke would be shouting at us. It wouldn’t have changed his view on Yemeni people.”

Charlie Elphicke MP for Dover and Deal, said: “I offer my deepest condolences to Penny and all of Luke’s other family. These situations are so very difficult when you know that hostage takers so barbarically murder their hostages.

"The authorities have a very hard decision to make.

“If it was a British hostage or a British-led operation with these barbaric people who murder these hostages and behead them so savagely, I think you’ve got to try and rescue people.

"Negotiating with hostage bearers would encourage hostage taking so we have to remain strong on hostage takers and if we can rescue people, if the opportunity presents itself and its a good opportunity, we should try to rescue people.”

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