A FORMER Basingstoke schoolboy is stuck in the Philippines due to Covid-19.

Tom Shelton, 43, and his wife Annie, 31, from the Philippines, are trapped in a quarantined town in the Philippines amid the coronavirus pandemic and are about to have a baby.

Annie is due to give birth on April 17 2020, in 27 days time.

Their town of El Nido has been locked down due to the virus and all tourists have been told to leave and none can enter.

The quarantine has caused their fledgling holiday business to collapse and they now have no income, and no money to pay for the birth of their unborn child.

The couple are six hours away from the nearest functioning hospital in Puerto Princesa city.

Annie's scans show a baby boy, and he will be named David Antonio, after both of the couple's fathers.

Home Office rules meant they could not be together in the UK six years ago, because Tom was not earning £22,400 a year.

This meant he was not allowed to sponsor visas for Annie and her son, who Tom is a devoted stepfather to.

As such, Tom was forced to relocate to the Philippines two years ago.

Tom and Annie have sent out an urgent appeal on crowdfunder asking for money to pay for their medical fees to deliver their baby boy.

The pair have since raised £1,150 out of £4,500 on crowdfunder.

The infant mortality rate in the Philippines is five times that of the UK.

The Gazette has reached out to the joint council for the welfare of immigrants for comment.