Tributes have been paid to a British aid worker in Afghanistan who was apparently murdered because she was a Christian.

Gayle Williams was shot dead by gunmen on a motorcycle as she walked to work in the capital, Kabul, at about 8am local time on Monday morning.

She was a volunteer with British-registered Christian charity Serve Afghanistan, which primarily works with disabled people in the war-torn country.

The Taliban claimed responsibility for the shooting, saying Ms Williams was killed because she was spreading Christianity.

But Mike Lyth, the Carlisle-based chairman of Serve Afghanistan’s board, rejected this explanation.

He said:“We are Christians — that is what gives us the motivation to go into a dangerous and difficult country to try to help.

“But she was not involved in proselytisation.”

Afghan interior ministry spokesman Zemeri Bashary said the killers shot Ms Williams in the body and leg with a pistol.

Mr Lyth said: “She was walking to work this morning at 8am local time.

“She was almost at the office when a couple of guys jumped off a motorcycle with some kind of weapon and shot her. She was dead almost immediately.

“One of our staff came on the scene fairly soon afterwards and found her dead. Now they are trying to live with the consequences of that.”

Ms Williams, who was in her mid-30s, had been working for Serve Afghanistan for about two years and was considered an experienced and careful member of staff. She was previously based in the southern Afghan city of Kandahar but was pulled out when it became too dangerous.

“Ms Williams was brought up in South Africa but spent much time in Britain and holds dual nationality for the two countries”, Mr Lyth said. Her mother lives in the UK and she has a sister in South Africa.

Serve Afghanistan has 15 expatriate members of staff, all volunteers, and employs 200 Afghans.