A vet nurse in Okehampton who was “trapped” in a Spanish ICU has finally been reunited with her family.

Katie Hollis was visiting her grandmother in Alicante last month for a much-needed break when she had a seizure on a day trip to a small island off the Spanish coast.

The 22-year-old veterinary nurse at North Park Vets has a condition called Functional Neurological Disorder which causes her to have intermittent non-epileptic seizures which pass without medical intervention.

Despite Katie’s grandmother explaining to emergency service workers in Spain that Katie did not need medical attention, Katie was airlifted to Hospital General Universitario de Elche for treatment.

That was on June 13. Over the course of three weeks, Katie’s family were living a “nightmare” as they claim the Spanish doctors refused to listen to Katie’s home doctor who was desperately trying to give them Katie’s medical history and treatment plan.

Katie’s mum Jami Harris, from Launceston, said: “They stripped Katie naked, restrained her to the bed and put her in a medically-induced coma every time she seized. It was completely unnecessary and inhumane.

“She seizes once a week, if not more, so every time she comes around she seizes again and they put her into an unnecessary incubation. It was a constant loop.

The family were desperate to bring their “bubbly and hardworking” daughter home, so they started a crowdfunder for a private medical flight back to Devon.

After raising over £13,000, with over 1,000 people contributing, Katie was finally flown home with a UK nurse on July 3 and is now heading for a full recovery.

Katie said: “I want to thank everyone for all the well wishes, donations and shares. I quite simply wouldn’t be back in the UK getting the correct care and support without everyone's help.

“The love and support everyone has given has been mind-blowing. Thank you again from the bottom of my heart it means a lot.”

Katie has had multiple hospital appointments since returning to Devon and currently has a spinal fluid leak due to receiving a lumbar puncture while in an induced coma at the Hospital General Universitario de Elche.

Katie and her family only found out about the lumbar puncture, a medical procedure where a needle is inserted into the lower back to collect cerebrospinal fluid, when they came back to the UK and translated the medical documents.

Jami said: “It’s been a very long, stressful and extremely frightening three weeks. Both myself and Katie are eternally grateful to each and everyone of you for getting us safely home! You are quite literally the people who have made this happen. The love and support shown has been absolutely mind-blowing and we thank you all from the bottom of our hearts.”

Katie studied at Okehampton College sixth form and has been working at North Park Vets since she was 17.