The funeral of murdered Stevenage doctor Karen Woo, killed while bringing medical aid to some of the poorest people in Afghanistan, will be held near her home town today (Wednesday).

The 36-year-old former pupil of Woolenwick and Barclay schools who was due to marry last month was shot along with nine colleagues in a roadside ambush by insurgents in the remote district of Badakshan on August 5. The deaths have been described as the worst attack on aid workers in 30 years.

Philip French, a friend of Dr Woo who will be reading a eulogy at her funeral, said: “My feelings are of deep sadness to have lost such an amazing person at the prime of her life with so much more to give. I will miss her contagious energy and enthusiasm, her sense of fun and her burning desire to put the needs of others ahead of her own. I feel humbled by her passing but also a huge sense of pride in what she achieved during her 36 years and honoured to have been a part of her life for the last few years.”

Family and close friends will attend the funeral and the media has been asked to respect their privacy.

A charity has been set up in memory of Dr Woo to continue her work. It can be found online at www.karenwoofoundation.com