Yorkshire dad stranded in Lanzarote hospital after suffering massive stroke

Stephen 'Ben' Lord, 55, from Gargrave near Skipton, was on holiday with his wife Lyn, their 27-year-old daughter Ellis and a group of friends when he suffered a stroke and a bleed to the brain on March 14.

He is now in hospital in Arecife and being treated in an intensive care ward, but his family cannot visit him due to coronavirus restrictions and he cannot be evacuated back to the UK.

Ben's friend John Baker has now set up a Gofundme appeal to raise the money needed to repatriate him by air ambulance.

Although the EHIC health insurance scheme covers Ben's treatment, his private policy does not extend to an evacuation flight or travel for Lyn.

Ellis and the rest of the group managed to return home at their own expense before commercial flights were grounded.

Over £10,000 has so far been raised towards the £20,000 target figure.

Ben, a roofer who works for a firm in Skipton, is described by John as a 'proper character' who is well-known in Gargrave, where he was born and raised.

His illness comes after a traumatic eight months for the family. Ben's nephew lost his partner at the age of 24 to sepsis last September, leaving two children aged one and three, and the younger child has serious health problems. Ben's niece has also recently lost her baby son at the age of just five months.

Ellis, who works for travel firm TUI in children's holiday clubs, faces unemployment as she no longer has a seasonal job in Greece for the summer due to the coronavirus pandemic.

"His insurers dismissed the claim because they say he had a pre-existing health condition. He'd been to the doctor for some tests shortly before the holiday and had been prescribed some tablets, but he wasn't told to declare this and now they won't cover any flights or accommodation," said John.

"We were thinking of evacuating him by road, but Spain has imposed a 15-day travel lockdown.

"The village has been fantastic, their response has been superb, and about 10,000 people in Lanzarote replied when I put out a plea to find somewhere for Lyn to stay - she's now in an apartment near the hospital. She's only been able to see him twice."

Ben's condition is improving and he has been able to leave his bed, but he has lost the use of the right side of his body and is experiencing slurred speech.

"It was completely out of the blue - he's never had a day off work and we are utterly shocked. He was full of life and he seemed immortal - he is someone who works and plays hard.

"It's difficult to establish when he'll be able to travel. If he gets a 'fit to fly' certificate, we hope to bring him home by private air ambulance early next week."

To donate to the appeal, click here.