A GRIEVING father has spoken of his heartache after losing his daughter at 28 weeks.

Jon Harding, 40, and his partner Kim Scott, 29, are coming to terms with the loss of their daughter Addison Audrey, who was born stillborn at Furness General Hospital.

Mr Harding said his partner visited the hospital 'because there was something wrong.

“We found out that there was no heart beat and her waters broke," he said.

"We were there that night and she had to go down to theatre and she had her at around 2am.

“We were there until the next night. The hospital was fantastic. The facility they gave us on the maternity award was out of the way."

He thanked staff at Furness General Hospital for allowing them to form special memories with their little girl, especially midwives Alice, Beth and Becky.

Mr Harding said: “They were just natural with Addison and they treated her as if she was alive.”

Addison spent the first night in a cot beside her parents and over the next week family were able to visit her in a dedicated room.

He said: “The hospital just made it feel like that was Addison’s room, whenever we came to see her she was there and we could spend as much time as we wanted.

“The family got to come up and hold her, there was tears initially but spending the time as a family with her was really nice.”

The Tigerlily Trust, a bereavement charity based in Grange, provided the family with a care box filled with small items which were given to Mr Harding’s eldest daughter Sadie, 12, and the couple’s 11-month-old daughter Arabella to remember their sister.

And now he is taking on a gruelling 170 mile bike ride to raise funds for them.

BAE worker Mr Harding, of Niger Street, Walney, said: “None of us have been through this before. There was stuff in the box that we read and it helped us. Kim is also on the Facebook page and they have been messaging her with support. There’s people there when she needs to talk and that’s why I wanted to do it (fundraise) for them.”

Over three days, starting on April 16, he will be taking on the Way of the Roses, a 170 mile stretch between Morecambe and Bridlington.

Originally trying to raise £500, he quickly beat his target with donations now sat just below £1,200. He said: “It has gone really high, really quick. It’s amazing that even after all of the millions of flowers we have been sent, people still want to support us by donating money as well.”

A spokesman for the Tigerlily Trust said: “What an incredible tribute to their baby girl, her legacy of love will go on to support bereaved parents in the future, her impact upon the world will be felt and cherished by many.”

To donate, visit: https://tinyurl.com/y9fbc8o5