Captured journalist's family postpone birthday celebrations

Celebrations for the birthday today of Daisy Ridley - whose journalist mother Yvonne is being held in Afghanistan - have been postponed until she safely returns home, the family said.

Ms Ridley, a 43-year-old Sunday Express reporter, was arrested by the Taliban early on Friday last week when she was discovered in Afghanistan reportedly wearing local dress and without papers.

Her daughter Daisy, who is nine today, has written to the prime minister asking him to intervene and the British High Commissioner to Pakistan Hilary Synnott (CORRECT) met Taliban representative Mullah Abdul Salam Zaeef in the Pakistan capital Islamabad.

Daisy is to spend the day at her Lake District boarding school, Yvonne’s mother Joyce Ridley said.

The worried 74-year-old grandmother, of West Pelton, County Durham said: ‘‘When Yvonne comes home Daisy will have her official birthday.

‘‘We will have a big party then.

‘‘The school thinks she should just have a normal day, perhaps she can open a few presents tonight.’’

Mrs Ridley and her husband Allan have been boosted by cards of support from Yvonne’s colleagues and friends.

She said: ‘‘I never dreamed there was so much feeling among the Press.

‘‘It made me realise how popular Yvonne is.’’

But Mrs Ridley admitted the strain of waiting for news was ‘‘terrible’’, adding: ‘‘It is not easy, I’m just like a zombie.

‘‘When I keep quiet, I get more worried.’’

Daisy’s father Daoud Zaaroura, who was married to Yvonne, said he was unaware of any plans for a birthday celebration, adding: ‘‘It is a very difficult situation at the moment.’’

Last night, Northern & Shell, publishers of the Sunday Express, said that the company’s editorial director and a lawyer would be flying to Pakistan to aid efforts to free Ms Ridley.

A spokesperson for the company said: ‘‘Paul Ashford, editorial director of Northern & Shell, publishers of Express Newspapers, plus a company lawyer are flying to Islamabad to lend any support they are able with regard to Yvonne Ridley.

‘‘The Foreign Office is fully aware of their movements.

‘‘Naturally Northern & Shell wish to undertake every reasonable endeavour to ensure the safe return of their journalist.’’