Baby born 16 weeks early on holiday flown home to Devon

Molly Cleathero was flown home in an incubator

A baby who was born prematurely in Cyprus has been flown home to Devon following weeks of fundraising.

The Cleathero family from Cullompton needed £45,000 to bring baby Molly, who was born 16 weeks premature, back home.

The charity Lucy Air Ambulance for Children stepped in to fly her back in an incubator.

The Cleatheros, who still need to raise £10,000 for the specialist air ambulance, said they would be holidaying in the UK for now.

Mrs Cleathero went into labour on 29 June, the day the couple were due to travel back from Cyprus.

Bethany and Jan Cleathero said they would be holidaying in the UK for now

She was classed as fit to fly when they went out.

She and her husband, Jan, also believed their travel insurance and international health cards would provide sufficient cover.

However, Molly has required neo-natal hospital treatment, which has seen medical bills of about 1,000 euros (£860) a day mounting up, the family said.

The "only real option" was to try bring Molly home "where she can be given the best possible treatment and care from the NHS", they said.

She was flown into Exeter Airport on Tuesday night and is now at Derriford Hospital in Plymouth where she is in a stable condition.

Mr Cleathero said: "My stomach was going last night, I did not know what to think or what to feel.

"It was all a bit of a dream, but a good dream.

"Molly's journey is going to be difficult going ahead and there could be more complications in the future, but it's such a relief to know that she's here."

The Cleatheros still face raising £10,000 which is the amount outstanding for getting Molly home.

Mrs Cleathero said: "We want to work with the charity to repay them because 'thank you' is not enough.

"She's (Molly) a madam and she's cost a lot more money than she should have at her age.

"We'll go back to Cyprus one day to show her where she was born but for now I think we'll be holidaying in the UK."