The family of a British teenager who was reportedly killed while fighting for IS in Iraq have said they are "utterly devastated".

Talha Asmal was believed to be Britain's youngest suicide bomber when he blew up an explosives-laden vehicle.

His death has not been officially confirmed.

But his relatives said photographs of a youth purportedly named Abu Yusuf Al Britany appeared to show their 17-year-old son.

The teenager fled his home in Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, in March to allegedly join IS along with his friend Hassan Munshi, who was also 17.

Asmal's family described him as "loving, kind, caring and affable".

They added: "He never harboured any ill will against anybody nor did he ever exhibit any violent, extreme or radical views of any kind."

They said despite him never exhibiting any extreme or radical views, he had been exploited by extremists on the internet "in a process of deliberate and calculated grooming of him".

Unbeknown to them and completely against their will, they said he travelled to Iraq via Turkey and fell under the spell of IS handlers who are "too cowardly to do their own dirty work".

"We are all naturally utterly devastated and heartbroken by the unspeakable tragedy that now appears to have befallen us," they said.

"We need time and understanding to come to terms with our unimaginable and painful loss.

"As a family we would like to take this opportunity to unequivocally state that 'ISIS' are not Islam.

"They do not represent in any way, shape or form Islam and Muslims and we are no longer prepared to allow a barbaric group like 'Isis' to hijack our faith."