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A British backpacker is fighting for his life in a Thailand hospital after contracting a flu virus.

Ashley Shorley had to be taken to hospital by a specialised seaplane because the high altitude was too much for his lungs while he was visiting Koh Phi Phi island.

The 32-year-old's parents Chris and Julie have flown from their home in Thornton, Lancashire, to be by his bedside while he relies on a ventilator to breathe.

Phuket doctors drained 2kg of liquid from Ashley's lungs and his dad Chris said his son was "two days from death", adding: "If he wasn’t so fit, he wouldn’t be with us now.

(Image: GoFundMe)

“We are now waiting on tests. It is very serious.”

The couple, both 55, flew out to the Asian country after their son was rushed to hospital on December 27.

And a GoFundMe page has been launched by family friend Tracey Hart in a hopeful bid to keep them at Ashley's side as he continues his fight, reports the Blackpool Gazette .

The brave patient had sold his house and jetted off after a long-term relationship broke down last month, rather than move back in with his parents.

(Image: STRINGER/EPA-EFE/REX)

But just one week into his travels, he contracted the horrendous virus and his condition deteriorated rapidly.

Julie said: "We were at our holiday home in Spain for Christmas when Ashley told us he was poorly in Koh Phi Phi, but at the time we didn't think it was anything too serious.

"He was eventually rushed to a hospital in Phuket by speedboat on January 2 where he ended up in intensive care, and I flew out from Spain to be with him on January 4.

(Image: Julie Shorley)

"He had pneumonia and two collapsed lungs, and they sent him by air ambulance to the intensive care unit at another hospital in Bangkok on the 6th."

The desperate mum said her son is in a stable condition and has been for two weeks, but his condition has not improved.

With the ventilator keeping him alive, his fluctuating temperatures fight off infection in his lungs

And while Ashley's travel insurance is covering the medical bills for his ongoing treatment, his parents are running out of money to pay for their living costs while they stay with him.

(Image: GoFundMe)

Ashley works in publishing for his dad, who flew out on January 7 to join his wife and son, though the two parents have had no indication yet if or when he may recover.

Julie said: "He's had different operations, but the infection in his lungs isn't going away.

"He's heavily sedated on a breathing tube with abscesses on his lung and a leak in one of them, and he isn't well enough to be moved, and can't be flown back to the UK."

She went on to say that the family cats and dogs are in Spain in boarding "with costs mounting up" and "now we have the unexpected accommodation costs to pay for - we could be here for months".

(Image: Instagram)

"I didn't want to ask anyone for help but I'm so grateful to my friend Tracey for trying to help us.

"This is a mother's worst nightmare," she added.

To make a donation to the Shorleys, visit www.gofundme.com/f/help-for-ashley-shorley