Ellie Simmonds breaks down in tears as she writes letter to birth mother for first time

Ellie Simmonds sobbed as she reached out to her birth mother for the first time in footage from her new documentary Ellie Simmonds: Finding My Secret Family.

The Paralympic gold medallist swimmer has decided to search for her blood relatives after learning she was put up for adoption at 10 days old.

Simmonds, now 28, says she has always known she was adopted.

Scenes from the show include Simmonds penning a handwritten letter to her birth mother.

“I’m going to say I’m definitely not angry. I hope you understand that. I hope I can get to know you and find out about you,” Simmonds read from the letter.