A ROYAL Marine veteran who broke his pelvis on holiday is stranded in a Bosnian hospital bed as his insurance providers will not fly him home.

Tony Tennant, from Farnborough, Hampshire, also ruptured his bladder during the swimming accident on Saturday.

The hero managed to signal to his wife Dora that he was hurt, before swimming back to the shore on Mostar where he collapsed.

He was rushed to a local hospital in a critical condition, and is now suffering from an unknown injury which is causing him to lose blood.

It was hoped that he could be moved to a waiting medical transport and flown to Heathrow so he could be treated in Frimley Park Hospital, Surrey, near his home.

But his latest injury means he needs £20,000 urgent treatment, to stabalise him before he can be flown home.

Insurance providers Axa have refused to pay for his flight home and the operation because the accident was outside the parameters of the activities permitted in its policy.

A Go Fund Me campaign has been set up to raise the money and had already raised more than £12,000 in the race against time to bring him home.

His diving and rescue company colleagues have rallied round and were still trying to raise around £20,000 pounds needed to stabilise his pelvis before being flown back to the England for treatment.

The Go Fund Me page set up said: "We are assisting with the recovery of former Royal Marine Commando Tony (Lou) Tennant's MEDIVAC from Bosnia to the UK. Tony is a veteran Royal Marine, former Police Officer and currently an underwater forensic diver.

"Whilst on holiday with his wife and children Tony sustained serious injuries abroad. Axa Insurance refusing to pay out, so all medical bills and transfer to UK to be paid privately. Please help."

A spokesman for AXA Insurance said: “After much consideration, our teams have determined that we are unable to cover Mr Tennant’s claim due to him taking part in a dangerous activity while on holiday in Bosnia.

"However, we sympathise with the situation he and his family are currently in, and are offering non-financial assistance in the hope we can get them home as soon as possible.”