Ashleigh Wallis was only 22 when she died overseas while teaching English at a school.

She was working in Taiwan and now all her family want to do is bring her home to Strood - but are faced with a £35,000 cost which is spiralling by the day.

Ashleigh's godmother Charlene Howland has organised a fundraiser to help speed things up.

She knew Ashleigh her whole life and paid tribute to her "incredible" god-daughter. "Ashleigh was amazing," she said. "She was a really funny, witty and smart little girl. She was fearless, she knew what she wanted to do and she was going to go get it.

"She had the biggest heart and she was always so helpful. She was just a great kid. Ashleigh loved doing that job and she was always smiling. She was never not smiling.

"Ashleigh had a determination about her and nothing was ever going to stop her. She was just coming into her own. She was - and would have been - incredible.

"We are in awe of her."

Ashleigh, who was originally from Gravesend and attended St John's primary and secondary school, graduated from university during the pandemic and set her sights on teaching abroad. In September 2020, she set off for Taiwan and worked in a primary school teaching English as a second language.

Although the family still do not know exactly what happened in the days before her death, information from colleagues and the Foreign Office say she bumped her head on November 14 but after medial treatment and a CT scan was discharged.

She did not go to work on November 17 as she was suffering with a migraine. Ashleigh also did not turn up for work the next day and was found dead that morning, in her apartment.

A post-mortem preliminary result shows no obvious cause of death and can not confirm if the bang to her head was related.

Her parents, Marvin and Julia, have spent the past four weeks working with the Foreign Office and the Taiwan Embassy to try to bring Ashleigh home.

Initially they were told it could take up to two months for the authorities to release Ashleigh’s body, having to wait for the final post-mortem report. They were quoted more than £13,000 for repatriation.

But in the past week, they have been told this has now risen to £35,000.

The increase is because there are now fewer flights due to the coronavirus pandemic and - as a result - less availability for special cargo.

The airlines have decided to sell all cargo space at a premium cost - a 200% mark-up on the normal rate.

Every day Ashleigh remains in the country, an additional £40 is added for mortuary charges. The family are also having to pay translator and document costs.

Charlene, 39, added: "They are a lovely family and they are always the first to encourage and support you. Julia was my rock when I moved to Kent. She took me in.

"This is the last thing they can do for their child. They are just a family trying to bring home their daughter.

"Never have I known them ask for help, they have nowhere left to turn. All they want is to bring their daughter home so they can lay her to rest.

"It is just an astronomical cost. I want to try and relieve and take away some of that pressure and stress. The amount raised so far has been overwhelming and everyone is so grateful."

To donate to the GoFundMe page, click here.