Charlie Webster has been brought back to consciousness for the first time in five days as she battles a rare and serious strain of Malaria in a Rio hospital.

The TV presenter is said to have been "battling for survival" after coming down with the illness when she arrived in Rio to cover the Olympics.

A spokesman said she was brought out of her induced coma for the first time since Thursday today to find her worried mother at her bedside in intensive care.

Doctors say that she is still dependent on a machine to help her breathe and she also remains on dialysis after her kidneys failed during her illness.

Webster's mother - who has not been named - said that her daughter "knows that she nearly died".

"She mouthed to me earlier 'look at all the machines keeping me alive'," she said in a statement.

The presenter's mother added that Webster had been "really strong" but she was aware that everyone "heals differently" as they wait to see how she responds to further treatment.

Webster fell ill on the day of the Olympics opening ceremony after cycling 3,000 miles to the Games to raise money for the Jane Tomlinson Foundation.

She posted photographs of herself in hospital on social media shortly after being admitted but her condition deteriorated shortly afterwards.

Doctors have said her kidneys are still not responding to treatment. They are also trying to establish where she may have caught the illness.

A spokesman for the presenter said that her friends and family were "incredibly touched by the overwhelming support and love" shown by supporters.

They added that she is now hoping to recover enough to fly back to the UK for further treatment.