April Jones launches fundraiser for phone box rescuer Jo Campbell
A woman abandoned as a newborn in a London phone box in 1994 has surprised the man who rescued her with a fundraiser so he can retire early.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
A woman abandoned as a newborn in a London phone box has thanked the man who found her by launching a fundraiser to help him retire early.
April Jones was only hours old when she was left in an East London phone box in spring 1994. Jo Campbell found her in the middle of the night. He had got up at around 2am to call his family in South America. As he approached the phone box, he thought he was looking at an empty chip wrapper. The phone box was next to a community centre where children played basketball and threw debris. When he got closer, he found the baby.
He called 999 and stayed with her until police arrived. He named her April because of the month she was born. The last time he saw her as a baby was when a photograph was taken. They did not meet again until 10 years ago, when he answered a newspaper appeal. April said Jo came forward within 24 hours, while her mother still has not. She said Jo has been a consistent father ever since.
April said she grew up in a horrible situation and was not happy. She remembered reading her life story book, which she received when she was eight, and it spoke of Jo. The book revealed she was adopted. It also contained photocopies of cards Jo had left with social services for her every year until she was seven, when he was told to stop.
The pair were reunited on a morning television show 10 years ago and have since formed a special bond. Today they returned to the show, where April surprised Jo with a special thank you. She set up a fundraiser so he can retire early. She said he had gone back to work after knee surgery, was in a lot of pain, and provides for everyone.
Jo had wanted to adopt April in 1994 but was told he could not because he was not married. He now has children of his own, and April considers them her brothers and sisters. Jo said he never stopped thinking about her and always mentioned her to his children. He described himself as nobody special, an ordinary guy who tries to do the best he can.
On screen
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Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, grouped by how many channels reported each one. Select a dot to see the source excerpt.
| Claim |  |
|---|---|
| Only on one channel | |
| April Jones was abandoned as a newborn in an East London phone box in spring 1994. | |
| April set up a surprise fundraiser to allow Jo Campbell to retire early. | |
| Jo Campbell called 999, stayed with the baby, and named her April after the month of her birth. | |
| Jo has children of his own, and April reportedly regards them as brothers and sisters. | Reported by ITV |
| Jo wanted to adopt April in 1994 but was reportedly unable to because he was not married. | |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
The lunchtime bulletin treated the story as its closing human-interest item. It focused on the emotional bond between April and Jo, the surprise fundraiser, and Jo's health and family circumstances. It also included the detail that Jo had wanted to adopt April but was refused because he was not married.
- “He's gone back to work he's just had knee surgery I'm not joking he's in so much pain and he provides for everyone does everything for everyone and I really want to try and do something back”
- “Jo came forward within 24 hours within and my mum still didn't she still hasn't Jo did and Jo's been a consistent father ever since”
- “An ordinary guy who showed extraordinary love Charlie Frost ITV News.”
The evening bulletin covered the same reunion and fundraiser as a human-interest item after sport and before weather. It was slightly more structured, using a reporter package and giving more emphasis to April's unhappy childhood and the cards Jo left for her. It also repeated Jo's failed attempt to adopt April.
- “You know, look, I am nobody special, I'm just an ordinary guy who tries to do the best he can and be the best he can be, so thank you.”
- “Jo came forward within 24 hours, and my mum still didn't, she still hasn't. Jo did, and Jo has been a consistent father ever since.”
- “She set up a fund raiser so he can retire early from his job as a bus driver.”
Broadcast Timeline
News broadcasts tracked for this story, in time order.