A British national who was abducted by her father 32 years ago and taken to war-torn Yemen has fled to Egypt after efforts by her mother to get her back to the UK.

Safiah Saleh was just 18 months old when her father took her and her two older sisters, then aged five and four, to Yemen in 1986.

Saleh, who is married with four children, has been living in poverty with her family in the Yemeni city of Hodeidah, which is being bombed by Saudi Arabian warplanes as they battle against the Houthi rebels who have taken over much of the country.

Her mother, Jackie Saleh, from Cardiff, raised more than £7,000 as part of a campaign to bring her youngest daughter back to the UK.

Neil McEvoy, the Welsh assembly member for South Wales Central, who has been supporting the campaign, revealed on Christmas Eve that his constituent’s daughter and family were all now in Egypt.

“Safia Saleh and family landed safely in Cairo and they are out of Yemen,” he said. “I would like to thank everyone who contributed to the Crowdfunder. The next steps is to get the passports. It’s really good news on Christmas Eve and a great present for Jackie and her family.”