More than £100,000 raised for family of pregnant nurse who died of Covid-19

More than £100,000 has been raised for the family and newborn baby of a pregnant nurse who died at Luton and Dunstable hospital after contracting coronavirus.

Mary Agyeiwaa Agyapong, 28, worked as a nurse on a general ward at the hospital for five years.

Her baby daughter - also called Mary - was delivered successfully by caesarean section and is doing well, according to the hospital, although it is not clear whether she has also tested positive for the disease.

Ms Agyapong's husband is currently self-isolating and has also been tested for Covid-19.

Ms Agyapong tested positive for Covid-19 on April 5 and was admitted to the hospital two days later.

David Carter, chief executive of the trust, said she was a "highly valued and loved member of our team, a fantastic nurse and a great example of what we stand for in this trust."

A fundraising page set up on Wednesday morning had raised £100,445 by 11am on Thursday.

"Mary was a blessing to everyone she came across and her love, care andsincerity will be irreplaceable," organiser Rhoda Asiedu wrote on the page.

"May God reward and bless everyone who finds it in their heart to assist. This will go a long way in making life more bearable after experiencing this in unexpected tragedy.

"You will forever be in our hearts Mary. Your memories are still with us and we will cherish them forever until we meet again. We will forever miss you."

• Watch a report by ITV News Anglia's Matthew Hudson