Jessica-Jane Applegate, the Great Yarmouth sports woman who won Paralympic gold at just 16, is now facing a very different kind of battle.

Her premature daughter Alara, who was born weighing just more than 1lb, is in a specialist neonatal intensive care unit, and the family has launched a public fundraiser to cover the overwhelming costs of being away from home during her long hospitalisation.

Ms Applegate, from Belton, retired from swimming in December last year.

Jessica-Jane Applegate at the World Para Swimming Championships in 2022. Picture: Sportsbeat (Image: Archant)

Shortly after the announcement, she and her partner Declan Jermy received life-changing news that they were expecting their first child.

Ms Applegate said the pregnancy brought early complications as she experienced significant bleeding for many weeks due to a haematoma.

By 16 weeks, the couple learned they were expecting a girl.

They had already chosen the name Alara but waited until after their 20-week anomaly scan before sharing the news publicly.

At 22 weeks, Ms Applegate attended a repeat scan as some checks had not been completed at the 20-week........

© Eastern Daily Press