Pregnant Penny Roberts, who was paralysed in a skydiving accident, has vowed to continue the fight to keep her baby when it is born.

Bradford council social services department has said the baby could be taken into care because the state's bill to care for Penny and her baby could double. But former nurse Penny, who has been besieged by the national media this week, says: "Over my dead body will they take my baby into care."

Penny, 35, of East Parade, Steeton, was left paralysed when she plunged over 14,000 feet above Florida three years ago. Her parachute failed to open. She broke her neck, shoulder, pelvis and leg and suffered a fractured skull and collapsed lung, and is confined to a wheelchair. Her home has been specially adapted.

Her baby is due on October 10 but she does not think it will wait that long. "I have been a little unwell lately and the signs are it is going to arrive early," she says. "The doctors are already planning for the birth."

Because of her injuries Penny will have a caesarian.

Penny will be a single mum and during the first few months after the baby is born she will need round-the-clock help from Bradford council's social services carers. It will be a costly exercise and social services says it is not sure it can afford it.

Officials are now faced with the dilemma of whether to leave the child with the natural mother and come up with the money, or give it away for fostering or adoption.

Penny says: "I can't plan anything and I can't buy things for the baby because I don't know what is going to happen."

Bradford's social services assistant director Mike Stow says a decision will not be made until a detailed assessment of the case is carried out. "This is a complicated and highly unusual case and we must look at all the options available while considering the wishes and care needs of Penny, who would be a lone parent without family support, and the best interests of the child," he says.

Opinion, page 10

Penny, who is cared for in her own home at a cost of 500 a week, says that if a decision is not reached in time and no care is in place she will be forced to give up the baby for temporary fostering.

"I asked the care worker what would happen if the baby was born tomorrow and she said 'I don't know'.

"There doesn't seem to be any sense of urgency on their part. They say I need another carer to look after the baby because my carer is funded by the adult social services budget and they wouldn't be eligible to look after a child. That doesn't make sense."

Social workers also expressed fears that a succession of carers over many years will be bad for the child and have requested a report from a child psychologist.

Penny has received messages of support from people all over the country. She now faces an anxious wait. "I have not got there yet and it is not how I thought things would be. But I desperately want to keep my baby."

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