
Cwmbran man stuck in Thai hospital for six weeks returns to Wales!
Doctors have now given him the green light, and he returned home yesterday on July 20.
Ashton Jones from Cwmbran has now returned to the UK (Image: NQ) Reacting to the news childhood friend Angela Roden Shepherd 50, said: 'It's so heartwarming to say he'll be home and on British soil!'
On May 30, Ashton and his lifelong friend flew to Bangkok for a lad's holiday.
Tragically, just five days into the trip, his family received the devastating news that Ashton had gone missing.
He was later found in Chonburi Hospital, where he'd undergone extensive brain surgery.
Investigations are being carried out by the Thai authorities, and it is still unclear what led to his admittance.
Unfortunately, Ashton didn't have travel insurance, and his family were unable to shoulder the financial cost alone.
Ashton Jones fighting for his life in a Thai hospital (Image: NQ) Angela has been a shoulder for Ashton's family to lean on.
She helped set up a GoFundMe to pay for Ashston's medical expenses. Overall, a staggering £31,960 was raised.
In an emotional video online Angela shared the happy news.
She said: 'We grew up together which is why I've been doing everything I've been doing. I've got good news Ashton is flying home today!
'He's on his way home he'll land in Heathrow tomorrow. He's going to be very close to home so happy days, Ashton is on his way home!'
Angela Roden Shepherd Ashston's childhood friend who helped set up a GoFundMe (Image: NQ) Angela has been overwhelmed by the community support.
She said: 'I'm going to take this opportunity now to thank each and every one of you who donated times are hard at the moment and you have been absolutely phenomenal the support I've had has been amazing I'm still gobsmacked now.'
'Even just asking me how is Ashton doing? What's the news what's the latest?'
At one point Ashton had a DNR in place now he is recovering and getting stronger each day.
The GoFundMe has officially been closed, and Ashton is currently undergoing medical treatment in the UK.
His story has been a miraculous feat.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Daily Mail
26 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
I'm a doctor - this one household feature is slowly harming your health
A common household feature may be unknowingly creating an unseen health risk – and it's hiding in plain sight. According to GP Dr Emily Carter, older carpets pose an unexpected health threat. 'People usually think of carpets as harmless,' said Dr Carter. 'But old carpets can be a major source of indoor pollution.' Carpets are known to trap allergens like dust mites, pet dander, pollen, mould spores, and even chemical residues from cleaning products or smoke. Over time, these build up in the fibres and can trigger or worsen health issues especially in children, the elderly, and those with asthma or allergies. The difficulty is that this build-up can occur gradually - even when older carpet is regularly vacuumed or appears clean. There are certain recurring health symptoms to be on the look out for that may indicate that your home environment could be be impacting on your health. Signs include frequent sneezing, coughing, or itchy eyes while indoors, worsening allergy or asthma symptoms. Feeling tired or headachy without clear cause is another indicator. Sudden skin irritations - especially in younger children – can also result from carpet-trapped allergens. However, the tricky part with many of these symptoms is that many may be mistaken for seasonal allergies or minor colds. Dr Carter, who is also a UK-based mother of two young children, said she had seen first-hand the health issues that can be caused by older carpets. 'I've seen it in my own family, my youngest started getting skin rashes and breathing problems that we couldn't explain,' Dr Carter said. 'After having our carpets replaced and testing air quality, the symptoms started improving.' For anyone who is concerned about whether their carpet poses a possible health risk, the British doctor recommends a simple 'sniff test' as a first line assessment. 'If a room smells musty no matter how often you clean it, that's a red flag,' Dr Carter said. 'Especially in bedrooms, where people spend hours each night, clean air matters more than we think.' For families with babies, Dr Carter also urges extra caution: 'Young children spend a lot of time crawling and playing on floors.' 'Their immune systems are still developing, so they're more likely to react to mould spores and dust mites. If you notice frequent eczema flare-ups or a child often gets congested indoors, your flooring could be part of the problem.' According to My Home Improvements, most carpets should be replaced every 7–10 years, depending on usage, cleaning habits, and exposure to pets or dampness. The UK home renovation business suggests that any carpet over a decade old is likely to be 'past its best'. 'Your carpet is like a sponge, it absorbs everything that enters your home. Over time, it collects years of grime, allergens, and chemical residues that vacuuming can't always reach,' says an expert from My Home Improvements. 'Even professional deep cleans won't remove built-up toxins that have soaked into the padding underneath. 'Replacing old flooring might not be glamorous, but it could be the biggest upgrade you make for your health.'


Daily Mail
28 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
British mother who smuggled £1.6m of cannabis into Mauritius hidden in her six-year-old son's suitcase faces a year in hellhole prison BEFORE her trial
A British mother who is accused of trying to smuggle cannabis into Mauritius inside her six-year-old son's suitcase is being held in a notorious hell hole prison on the holiday island, MailOnline can reveal. Natashia Artug, 35, faces waiting more than a year on remand in the womens' section of Beau Bassin Central Prison just outside the island capital Port Louis before she is brought to trial. The jail with around 135 women inmates has been described as being filthy with prisoners often having to spend hours outside 'under the scorching sun'. Mother-of-two Natashia from Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, was arrested with six other Britons and her Romanian boyfriend after they allegedly tried to smuggle 161kgs of cannabis worth £1.6million into Mauritius. But the authorities are said to be treating her case with particular seriousness because cannabis weighing 14kg was found wrapped in cellophane packages and stuffed inside her six-year-old son's wheelie case. The shock discovery was made after the group's British Airways flight from Gatwick touched down at the island's Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport last month. Natashia is being held alongside four other British women Lily Watson, 20, Shannon Ellen Josie Holness, 29, Laura Amy Kappen 28, and Shona Campbell, 32, who are all from Cambridgeshire and were arrested with her, according to local newspaper Le Mauricien. She was initially held under guard with her son in the headquarters of the Anti-Drug and Smuggling Unit in Mauritius so they could be together. But she is believed to have been transferred to the Beau Bassin Central Prison after her son's father reportedly flew over to collect him and took him back to the UK. More than half the women in the jail are said to be foreign with the majority serving sentences or on remand for drug offences. A Human Rights report by the US State Department in 2014 highlighted prison conditions in Mauritius, saying they 'did not always meet international standards' and drug abuse had been reported in jails across the island. The report said media reports had highlighted a 'lack of hygiene, sanitation, and basic medical care' as 'problems' at Beau Bassin Central Prison. In a further comment on the jail, it added: 'Given the lack of administrative remedies, inmates' relatives sometimes turned to private radio stations to denounce hygiene conditions or other problems.' The report did not specify whether the issues related to the womens' section of the jail or the far larger mens' section. It did, however, describe record keeping in prisons on Mauritius as 'adequate' with inmates able to have visitors, submit complaints and follow religious observance The report also said there were no reports of threats to life or health, food shortages, poor ventilation, extreme temperatures or lighting problems in the nation's other prison facilities. A Russian woman whose sister was being held on drug smuggling charges at Beau Bassin Central Prison highlighted her fears about the jail in a Reddit post. The woman said conditions in the prison were potentially worsening her sister's long standing medical conditions, and her complaints to authorities in Mauritius were being ignored. She wrote: 'Sometime I can communicate with she (sic), and she always complain on conditions of imprisonment. 'She doesn't have normal access to medicines, clean drinking water. Sanitary conditions are terrible. She often hear verbal harassment and threats, sounds like 'You'll die here'. Abuse on racial prejudice. 'Most of the time the prisoners are in the prison yard under the scorching sun. Foreign prisoners are not allowed to wear hats.' The Association for the Prevention of Torture based in Geneva, Switzerland, highlighted conditions for women inmates in Mauritius in a more recent report in August last year. It made a series of recommendations including calls for the renovation of the kitchen with a larger cold room for vegetables and fruits, more fridges, and addition psychiatrists to provide mental health care for inmates The report also said authorities should provide protective gear such as gloves, aprons and rubber boots for women cleaning shower units. It further called for more Skype calls to be made available for foreign prisoners to keep in touch with family and friends with 'income generating opportunities' for women to pay for calls. The UK Government website also talks of prison conditions in Mauritius, saying: 'Imprisonment is generally in small cells with a number of other detainees. 'Mauritius is one of the rare countries where time out of cell is from 6.15am to 5pm. Prison officials will normally speak English to British prisoners. 'Many other detainees can also speak English although most of them will speak in the local language (Creole). While in detention, detainees can have access to the prison library where English books are available. 'All prisons on the island are Human Rights standards compliant. Civil Society and NGOs are widely involved in assisting at prisons. The prison has both an internal and external inspectorate.' The website added that there were opportunities to work and study in Mauritius prisons with a range of options such as gas welding, metal fabrication, basketry, woodwork, pastry baking. Hairdressing, garment making and beautycare are also available in the womens' prison. Natashia's Romanian boyfriend Florian Lisman, 38, and window fitter Patrick Wilsdon, 21, of Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, who were also arrested at the airport are in a mens' prison. Mauritian authorities have stated that they believe the group were all acting as drug mules, hired to bring drugs on to the island. Natashia who is said to be 'vulnerable' claims she was coerced into travelling to Mauritius by drug traffickers who threatened her family. Non-profit group Justice Abroad said she did not know the bags she was carrying contained cannabis. She has launched a crowdfunder appealing for £5,000 to fight the serious charges. Justice Abroad said mother-of-two Natashia suffered from fibromyalgia and was currently attending university. They added: 'This case raises serious concerns about the exploitation of a young mother by a criminal gang. 'She now faces criminal trial in Mauritius separated from her children and without the resources to mount an adequate defence and to put together the evidence of the duress and exploitation.' Authorities on Mauritius have branded the use of a child in the audacious drug smuggling plot as 'outrageous and inhumane'. They added: 'This is one of the most revolting cases we have encountered in recent years.' Patrick's mother Carly Wilsdon previously said that he had gone to Mauritius after being being offered a 'free holiday'. She said: 'He wouldn't have known what he was doing because he wouldn't get involved in drugs. 'The person who told them about this free holiday is one of his circle of friends but now he has disappeared. 'He told them that he had been before and that they would meet someone there. There was no mention of drugs. 'It is so hard. He could be looking at 30 years. He has never been in trouble and only been abroad once before. 'I missed a call from him on the day they arrived. I thought it was to show me the apartment. I can't believe what's happened.' Speaking outside her home last month, a relative of Laura Kappen said: 'She is not a bad kid. She's never done anything wrong in her life but I guess she has done something foolish. Someone must have enticed them with money.' A relative of Shona Campbell said: 'It is really difficult. She's got two little kids and they don't know. It's horrible.' A Foreign Office spokesman told MailOnline: 'We are supporting a British national detained in Mauritius and are in contact with the local authorities.'


Sky News
an hour ago
- Sky News
'Almost like a game of target practice': British surgeon says IDF shooting Gazans at aid points
A British surgeon who recently returned from Gaza has told Sky News that there is "profound malnutrition" among the population - and claims IDF soldiers are shooting civilians at aid points "like a game of target practice". Dr Nick Maynard spent four weeks working inside Nasser Hospital, where a lack of food has left medics struggling to treat children and toddlers. The conditions inside the hospital, in the south of the Strip, have been documented in a Sky News report. 3:49 Dr Maynard told The World with Yalda Hakim: "I met several doctors who had cartons of formula feed in their luggage - and they were all confiscated by the Israeli border guards. Nothing else got confiscated, just the formula feed. "There were four premature babies who died during the first two weeks when I was in Nasser Hospital - and there will be many, many more deaths until the Israelis allow proper food to get in there." In other developments: • Israel and the US have recalled their teams from Gaza ceasefire talks • US envoy Steve Witkoff has accused Hamas "of failing to act in good faith" • France has announced that it will recognise the state of Palestine • An influential group of MPs is calling on the UK to "immediately" do the same 5:33 'They were shells' Dr Nick Maynard has been going to Gaza for the past 15 years - and this is his third visit to the territory since the war began. The British surgeon added that virtually all of the kids in the paediatric unit of Nasser Hospital are being fed with sugar water. "They've got a small amount of formula feed for very small babies, but not enough," he warned. Dr Maynard said the lack of aid has also had a huge impact on his colleagues. "I saw people I'd known for years and I didn't recognise some of them," he added. "Two colleagues had lost 20kg and 30kg respectively. They were shells, they're all hungry. "They're going to work every day, then going home to their tents where they have no food." 3:42 IDF 'shooting Gazans at aid points' Elsewhere in the interview, Dr Maynard claimed Israeli soldiers are shooting civilians at aid points "almost like a game of target practice". He has operated on boys as young as 11 who had been "shot at food distribution points" run by the US and Israel-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation. "They had gone to get food for their starving families and they were shot," he said. "I operated on one 12-year-old boy who died on the operating table because his injuries were so severe." 2:54 Dr Maynard continued: "What was even more distressing was the pattern of injuries that we saw, the clustering of injuries to particular body parts on certain days. "One day they'd be coming in predominately with gunshot wounds to the head or the neck, another day to the abdomen. "Twelve days ago, four young teenage boys came in, all of whom had been shot in the testicles and deliberately so. "The clustering was far too obvious to be accidental, and it seemed to us like this was almost like a game of target practice. "I would never have believed this possible unless I'd witnessed this with my own eyes." Sky News has contacted the Israeli Defence Forces for comment. An IDF spokesperson previously told Sky News it "strongly rejected" the accusations that its forces were instructed to deliberately shoot at civilians. "To be clear, IDF directives prohibit deliberate attacks on civilians," the spokesperson said, adding that the incidents are "being examined by the relevant IDF authorities". 2:10 The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation has been managing the supply of aid to Gaza since Israel lifted an 11-week blockade in May. It has four aid distribution sites, all of which are located in Israeli military zones, with journalists prohibited from entering. More than 1,000 people have been reported killed while trying to receive food aid since the GHF took over, according to the UN. UNRWA, its relief agency for Gaza, has heavily criticised the scheme. Commissioner general Philippe Lazzarini said: "The so-called 'GHF' distribution scheme is a sadistic death trap. Snipers open fire randomly on crowds as if they are given a licence to kill." facing "mass starvation".