One of nine Britons arrested trying to get into rebel-held Syria is the son of a Labour councillor from Rochdale.

The group – all members of the same family, including four children – will be deported back to the UK where counter-terrorism police and social services are waiting to question them after they were seized at a Turkish border post.

Police in Manchester said it was “obviously concerning” that adults were taking children aged as young as one into the war-torn country.

In a statement, Rochdale councillor Shakil Ahmed said he was “shocked, worried and extremely upset” to find out his son, 22-year-old Waheed Ahmed, was one of those held by Turkish authorities.

Mr Ahmed added that he thought his son was on a work placement in Birmingham.

He said: “My son is a good Muslim and his loyalties belong to Britain, so I don’t understand what he’s doing there. If I thought for a second that he was in danger of being radicalised I would have reported him to the authorities.

“He’s studying a degree in politics and sociology at Manchester University and has a good future ahead of him.”

The five adults are aged 21, 22, 22, 24 and 47 and four children, aged one, three, eight and 11, are believed to be related and currently live in Rochdale.

All were arrested at a paramiltary outpost in Reyhanli, a town that borders rebel held parts of Syria, as they tried to cross into Syria….