Jake Humphrey's charity FA Cup tweet a 'minor miracle'

Ross and Naomi Coniam's daughter Norah died hours after she was born

A father fundraising in memory of his daughter said a sports presenter sharing his campaign on social media was a "minor miracle".

Watford fan Ross Coniam is attempting nine challenges in 2019 in memory of Norah, who lived for just a few hours.

BT Sport's Jake Humphrey saw the appeal on Mr Coniam's sweatshirt during Watford's FA Cup semi-final win over Wolves on Sunday.

By Tuesday afternoon, donations had reached more than £27,000.

In a series of tweets, the presenter said he researched the Nine4Norah appeal after seeing the sweatshirt and found himself "shedding a little tear".

Before Mr Humphrey's tweets, £3,058 of a £6,000 goal for stillbirth and neo-natal charities had been raised.

"It's something magical that happened on Sunday," said 36-year-old Mr Coniam.

"I think if I was three rows in front or six to the other side I might not have been seen. It's a minor miracle.

"It seems surreal how I happened to be in that seat and he was behind me.

"For him to actually read it and take an interest is unbelievable."

Jake Humphrey said those who had donated to the Nine4Norah appeal had "just done a great thing"

Mr Coniam, from Watford, said he was "speechless" by the money flowing in from "the kindness of random strangers".

"It just seems to tick over all the time, I half expect it to stop at any point and wake up and see it's not real," he said.

On Twitter he thanked Mr Humphrey for his "act of kindness", with the TV presenter saying "it wasn't the hoodie, it wasn't Wembley. It was Norah".

Ross and Naomi Coniam's daughter Norah was born on 29 May, but died nine hours and 56 minutes later despite doctors' efforts to save her.

Mr Coniam said: "I'm doing this for all the mums and dads that have lost.

"It's not just about me running a marathon it's about other people."