A FAMILY stuck in middle of a coronavirus lockdown are hoping to raise money to pay for the birth of their baby after their 'fledging' business collapsed.

Tom and his wife Annie from Ascot need to raise £5,000 to pay for the birth of their baby in the Philippines.

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The former St Michael's pupil met his wife seven years ago but he couldn't sponsor her visa to live in Ascot because he was only earning £22,400 a year.

As such, he was forced to relocate to the Philippines in 2018 and they started their own eco-tourism business.

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, their town of El Nido has been on lockdown and all tourists have been told to leave, with people self-isolating and in quarantine.

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Their family said: "The quarantine has caused our fledgling holiday business to collapse. We now have no income and no money to pay for the birth of our baby.

"We are six hours away from the nearest functioning hospital in Puerto Princesa city. Thankfully, mother, baby, and our young son, all appear to be healthy, but the life of our baby is at stake."

The costs of the birth will pay for pre-natal ultrasound and consultation, a midwife and doctor, a post-natal baby scan, standby money for medical emergencies, to-way transport to hospital in Puerto Princesa city, rent for a basic room near the hospital.

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The family have been left with no choice but to create a crowd funder and so far they have raised £3,410.

The Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants, who support families in crisis are supporting Tom and his wife.

Mary Atkinson, Families Together campaigns officer, said: "Tom and his family should never have been forced into this position. We will never know how many others have had to make the unthinkable choice between their family back here in the UK and the person they love. "The Home Office must scrap their cruel income requirements immediately - because everybody should have the right to love who they choose, no matter how much they earn."

To donate: gofundme.com/f/baby-medical-fee-emergency-in-covid19-lockdown

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