Manchester pays tribute to NHS staff with road markings near Nightingale field hospital

NHS staff at the Nightingale Hospital North West in Manchester will see road markings appreciating their efforts as they go to and from the facility.

Messages such as "THANK YOU NHS" have been painted onto roads nearby to show support for hospital staff during the coronavirus pandemic.

"I just felt that we had to do something," Gemma Mcilwaine, business team lead for Manchester's highway maintenance service, said.

Northern Marking supplied a team free of charge to mark the lines near the Nightingale Hospital.

It came after health bosses said earlier in the week that the hospital would be equipped and staffed to receive up to 750 coronavirus patients from across the region in the coming days.

The markings are located on Mosley Street as well as at the exit from the NCP car park, which many hospital staff will use.

"I'd like to think that it is really important," said Ms Mcilwaine.

"I know that it is significant for some because there was a gentleman who was going into the hospital.

"He had the NHS lanyard on, and he said 'that is something else. What an absolutely perfect touch'.

"I really do hope it picks people up, and I hope the NHS staff know that we are all thinking about them."

Read more

Do face masks protect against coronavirus?

Hundreds of parties breaching virus lockdown broken up by police

Italy warns of EU collapse amid coronavirus bailout row

UK coronavirus death toll rises by 881 bringing total to 7,978