Preparations are being made to medically evacuate a granny - stranded in a coma in a Canary Islands hospital.

A wrangle over whether Joan Grant had declared past medical problems has meant the underwriters of her insurance policy refused to pay for an emergency flight home.

Mrs Grant’s son Grahame has waged a month-long battle with London-based Travel and General Insurance Company.

He claimed his mother had done nothing wrong and the policy should be honoured completely, including a medical evacuation home.

But the firm, which has paid up to £50,000 already, said it was only prepared to fund a normal passenger flight back to the UK for the stricken pensioner.

The 81-year-old has been in the coma since she fell and broke her ankle in the cabin onboard a Fred Olsen cruise to the Canary Islands last month.

The minor injury turned into a life-threatening illness, with the pensioner in a coma and on a ventilator in a Las Palmas hospital

At first, the Upchurch resident was taken from the ship to a private clinic, and later transferred to a state hospital. At some point, she developed pneumonia.

At first, her care was covered by the insurance policy, but as time went on, the firm claimed the pensioner had failed to disclose past medical issues.

It said these issues were now contributing to the state of her health beyond the injury she had suffered on the ship.

In light of this, it said it would cover the cost of a passenger flight home for Mrs Grant and a companion, but not the emergency flight needed due to her comatose state.

A furious Mr Grant attacked the company’s decision, saying his mother had done nothing wrong and her policy should be honoured in full.

Had he known the firm would not pay for further treatment, he says he would have paid for an assisted flight back to the UK before her condition worsened.

Up until Wednesday evening, he was faced with finding tens of thousands of pounds to get her home in a fully-equipped air ambulance with medical assistance.

But a member of the family managed to find Mrs Grant’s insurance documentation – leading to the company to change its mind.

Travel and General Insurance Company spokesman Samantha Bradbury said: "More information has come to light and we have revised our opinion.

"We are making arrangements for Mrs Grant to be brought home in line with medical advice."

She added: "As a condition of [Mrs Grant’s] policy, she was obliged to declare any previous medical conditions.

"Whilst Mrs Grant had not declared all of her pre-existing conditions, the company recognises she has complied with the policy conditions in good faith.

"In light of the information now available, Mrs Grant will be repatriated to the UK via air ambulance as soon as possible and under medical advice."

She would not comment on whether the company would be apologising to the Grant family.

It is hoped Mrs Grant will be flown home either this weekend or early next week.