An online fundraiser has been launched to help bring a father who fell ill on holiday back to the Isle of Man.

Chris Slipper from Douglas is said to have suffered a stroke around a week ago while on a break in Phuket, Thailand.

According to a fundraising page set up by his son Liam, Chris is now recovering in hospital in the Thai resort and is out of immediate danger.

However, Liam said that his stricken dad now ‘urgently needs support’ to help pay for the medical bills he had incurred during his treatment in the Far East, as well as his return to the UK for rehabilitation on the right side of his body.

Writing on the GoFundMe page, Liam said he was reaching out with a ‘heavy heart’ because his father’s insurance did not cover his hospital bills as he had been ‘out of the country for more than 30 days,’ a fact he said his dad was unaware of at the time.

‘This situation has been a nightmare, and any financial support you could provide would be immensely appreciated as he works to get back on his feet,’ he said.

‘I know how much my father is loved, and I believe that if any of you found yourselves in a similar situation, he would be one of the first to help.

‘On behalf of my father, I want to thank you in advance for even the smallest contribution. Your kindness means the world to us.’

The online fundraiser was set-up with an initial monetary target however, that has now been raised to £10,000 due to ‘advancing medical costs in Thailand.’

Liam added: ‘Unfortunately we have to raise the target amount so as to manage to pay all the costs and get my dad home as soon as possible to get him his treatment.

‘We sincerely appreciate all the efforts made so far and I am in the process of getting all thank you messages out.’

At the time of writing, the fundraising page has raised close to £6,000 with more than 150 donations made.

To view the fundraising page or to donate, visit: https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-my-dad-recover-and-get-back-to-the-uk