A MERCY mission to fly a cancer patient home to East Lancashire after she was stranded in America was temporarily grounded today.

Pensioner Phoebe Morley was due to touch down in Blackpool at 1.30pm but remained in hospital in Kissimmee, Florida, after the air ambulance due to bring to bring her back to Blackburn was impounded on a runway in Orlando.

The crew was fined 90,000 American dollars overnight for allegedly failing to have the correct documentation.

Bedford-based company Network Air Ambulance and Rescue Service organised a French crew to fly Mrs Morley back from Florida along with second husband Peter.

But air ambulance spokesman Chris Field said: "There's been a problem because the French plane arrived at Orlando without the correct documents.

It's been fined 90,000 dollars and is sitting at the airport. But we're still hoping it will take off later today."

Mrs Morley's family had struggled to raise the cash to fly her back home after her travel insurance company refused to pay out when she was taken seriously ill and it was discovered she was suffering from cancer of the kidney and bowel.

She had not declared she was having medical treatment before her holiday, although she had been diagnosed with gallstones at Blackburn Royal Infirmary before she travelled.

Network Air Ambulance and Rescue Service organised an air ambulance to fly her back from Florida.

Mrs Morley, who spent her 76th birthday in hospital on Thursday, was due to be taken straight to Blackburn Royal Infirmary

Speaking from her Florida hotel daughter Susan, who is due to return home tonight by a scheduled flight, said: "It has been a nightmare for everyone."

Susan had flown out to be with her mum fearing she would not see her again.

Plans had been put in place to bring Mrs Morley home by a scheduled flight last week but she was too ill to travel..

Chris Field, from the Network Air Ambulance and Rescue Service, managed to secure an air ambulance for £20,000 which was paid for by donations, including £16,000 from the 19-year-old Prince Azim of Brunei.

Susan, who saw her mum for the first time on Thursday, said: "It was so good to see her, she smiled and said 'Sue'. What upset me more was that I wasn't allowed to touch her at first."

Mrs Morley had gone to Orlando for a two-week holiday with Peter and their other daughter Michelle. Michelle is due to travel back with Susan tonight.

The former warehouse worker at Duttons, Blackburn, was taken ill with gallstones and taken to hospital in Kissimmee. Then cancer was discovered.