A desperate mum is appealing for help to be able to stay near her premature baby in hospital.
Mel Tomlin's son Milo was born 14 weeks premature in late March and needs ongoing care. The tiny baby spent his first few weeks of life in an incubator at Leicester Royal Infirmary, but as his condition improved, on April 19 he was moved to Derby Royal, 35 miles away where Mel and Milo's dad Callum Cripps live.
However, the couple have been struggling to go back and forth between the hospital and their home as their car has broken down. Mel, who is producing breast milk for Milo, particularly needs to be with her baby.
The parents have been given the opportunity to stay in a hospital side ward each night but since that bed is not guaranteed, they fear they will have to fork out a large sum of money to pay for a hotel. Mel said the first few weeks of her baby's life had been a "difficult and lonely experience".
The 30-year-old mum told Leicestershire Live: "Milo was born weighing just 1lb 15oz so he was in an incubator at Leicester Royal Infirmary neo-natal unit. On Thursday last week they sprung it on us he'd be moved to another hospital - they didn't say where.
"That was meant to happen on Thursday night but the move only happened on Friday morning and I spent the night in a chair. They said the level of care Milo needed wasn't available at any of the Leicester hospitals.
"The highest level of care is available at the infirmary and lower levels of care are available at the infirmary and Leicester General but the medium level is only available in Derby, Northampton and Lincoln and Milo ended up being taken by ambulance to Derby."
Due to her being stranded in Derby without a car, Mel is also missing spending time with her older son, who is seven and has been staying with his dad. Mel said: "We've been lucky that every night since Friday the Derby hospital has managed to give us one of three beds in side wards where parents are able to stay the night. But we only find out each day whether we'll be allowed to stay and because I'm expressing milk I need to be near to him."
The hotel rooms near the hospital are about £80 a night. Mel and Callum have set up a fundraising page to appeal for help to help cover the potential cost.
Meanwhile, Milo is doing well at Derby, his weight now up to 2lb 5oz, living in a "high flow" container to provide him with extra oxygen. But it could be weeks before his care reaches a level where he can be taken care of in Leicester again.
You can donate to the fundraiser here.