Doncaster pop star Louis Tomlinson comes to aid of couple stranded in Vietnam after horror road smash

Doncaster pop sensation Louis Tomlinson has come to the aid of a local couple stranded 6,000 miles from home after a horror road accident.
Doncaster backpacker Sarah Liddle and Rhys Sykes.Doncaster backpacker Sarah Liddle and Rhys Sykes.
Doncaster backpacker Sarah Liddle and Rhys Sykes.

British backpackers Rhys Sykes and Sarah Liddle were marooned in Vietnam following a motorbike smash in the country which left Sarah with a badly broken leg and unable to fly back home.

The young couple finally arrived back last week after pleading for help to fly back to the United Kingdom for urgent medical treatment.

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And the couple's family have revealed how the One Direction star was so touched by the pair's flight that he rushed to their aid with a massive cash donation to help cover the cost of flights.

Sarah's aunt Julie Liddle said: "Louis heard about our appeal to get Rhys and Sarah home and his mum got in touch saying how upset he was to hear about what had happened and how he would like to help. He gave a very sizeable donation to the fund and we would like to say a very big thank you to Louis and his family for being so kind."

The couple launched a cash appeal after being told a special evacuation flight would cost £15,000. The appeal drew in more than £4,500 which will cover the cost of the couple's return home after they were eventually able to take normal charter flights.

However, the pair's ordeal is far from over. Sarah is currently receiving medical treatment at Sheffield's Northern General Hospital where she is likely to remain for several weeks after an operation to reset her leg while Rhys has also undergone further operations on his foot.

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Tragedy struck for the couple, both former Hungerhill School pupils, on Valentine’s Day when the hired motorbike they were travelling on through the Far East country was smashed into by another motorcycle.

Rhys said: “We were travelling on a moped down a country road when we saw a coach coming the other way.

“We moved over to give room as the road was narrow but all of a sudden another moped came speeding out from behind the coach and hit us head on at speed.”

Sarah, 23, of Dunsville and Rhys, 24, of Hatfield, were hurled from the bike and onto the side of the road, with both suffering serious injuries.

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Sarah suffered three separate breaks to her left leg and was left with blood pouring from an open wound while Rhys suffered a broken foot, broken fingers and seriously grazed arms.

The couple were part way through a backpacking trip around Asia and Australasia, having setting off from the UK shortly before Christmas and having already visited Thailand and Laos before crossing the border into Vietnam where tragedy struck. The couple were due to celebrate their first anniversary on February 15 - the day after the accident.

The couple then became locked in a battle of red tape and legal minefields with their travel insurers over the validity of their policy as well as airlines, medical institutions, and the British and Vietnamese authorities.