A MOTHER’S battle to uncover the truth about her baby daughter’s disappearance from a Spanish hospital will be heard at the European Court of Human Rights.

Ruth Appleby of Catterick has been campaigning for years to find out what happened to her daughter Rebecca who was born in a La Coruna hospital in 1992.

Ms Appleby was told her baby had died but suspicions arose years later when it transpired that Rebecca’s remains appeared to be those of an older infant.

Ms Appleby fears that she was a victim of the historic baby snatching scandal in Spain and North-East MEP Jude Kirton-Darling joined a contingent of MEPs on a fact-finding mission to Spain in May.

Now it has been announced that Ms Appleby will have her case heard by the European Court of Human Rights.

She told ITV afterwards that she was “really happy” with the news and that although she knew there was hard work ahead she wanted to remain optimistic.

Ms Kirton-Darling described the development as a “great step forward”, adding: “I will continue to support Ruth’s petition in the Parliament and work towards getting transparency in a scandal that has stayed hidden for too long.”