AN evacuation flight to bring a Tynedale family back to the UK from the Chinese city at the centre of the Coronavirus outbreak will leave on Friday morning local time, the Foreign Secretary said.

Jeff Siddle and his nine-year-old daughter Jasmine, from Prudhoe, will then be taken to an NHS facility in the North-West for a quarantine period of 14 days, sources told PA.

Jeff and Jasmine are expected to be on the flight home, but Jeff’s Chinese wife Sindy has been told she must stay.

Although she is a British citizen, the Chinese Government say her Chinese passport prevents her from leaving the country due to fears over Coronavirus.

In a statement, Dominic Raab said: "We are pleased to have confirmation from the Chinese authorities that the evacuation flight from Wuhan airport to the UK can depart at 5am local time on Friday, January 31.

"The safety and security of British nationals is our top priority. Our Embassy in Beijing and consular teams remain in close contact with British nationals in the region to ensure they have the latest information they need."

The flight could land at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire, it is understood.