Channel 4 has been criticised over reports it paid more than £100,000 as a ransom to secure the release of a documentary maker held hostage by Taliban-linked criminals.

Politicians said such a move would place more lives at risk, and could inspire copycat abductions.

Sean Langan, 43, was taken captive by locals after travelling to the remote tribal regions of Pakistan, a stronghold for extremists in which foreigners are banned.

Kidnapped: Documentary film-maker Sean Langan was held for three months

Rebels linked to the Taliban became involved, and the kidnappers threatened to kill him and his translator unless a ransom was paid.

Both men were held for three months, until an Afghan acting as a middle-man, said to have been hired by the broadcaster, handed over a briefcase with the cash.

It is understood that the Foreign Office tried to convince Channel 4 not to pay a ransom.

Mr Langan has spoken of his relief at being back, safe, with his family.

But Tory MP Philip Davies, who sits on the culture, media and sport select committee, said: 'I don't believe in basically caving in to kidnappers in any way, shape or form. It creates a more unsafe environment for everyone.

'It is just encouraging them to do this to other people. If they did ignore Foreign Office advice given to them then it was wholly irresponsible.'

Tory MP David Davies, who sits on the home affairs select committee, said: 'I can see why Channel 4 felt this obligation and why people do pay ransoms to release valued employees or loved family members.

'The trouble is stepping back and looking at this from a distance. It almost certainly will lead to further kidnaps taking place.'

Mr Langan, a father of two, lost three stone and several teeth during the ordeal and suffered from dysentery and fever.

During the three months he was subjected to night-time interrogations from his captors who accused him of being a spy.

He said: 'The door would be kicked in in the middle of the night and they'd tell the translator that they were going to behead us.'

The journalist was released more than a week ago, and on Saturday revealed the torment of his kidnap in an interview in the Daily Mail.

He told how he dreamed of kissing his sons goodnight and how being so close to death gave him a new awareness of life.

He continued: 'I turned my back on certainty, knowing I was putting my life at risk. As a father, I should never have done that.'

Mr Langan had travelled to Afghanistan in March to begin work on his third documentary about the Taliban for Channel 4.

He was investigating rumours that leaders of the group were hiding in remote tribal regions of Pakistan.

Last year he was nominated for a Bafta for his documentary Fighting The Taliban.

Channel 4 yesterday refused to deny that it paid the money, saying only that it had drawn on expert advice and that securing Mr Langan's release had been a long and complex process.