100 volunteers line up to help NHS heroes in international spotlight as public tell Atherstone's main hospital staff: Thank you will never be enough

GEORGE ELIOT OVERWHELMED WITH RESPONSE FOR BACK-ROOM SUPPORT IN ADMIN ROLES DURING CORONAVIRUS CRISIS

AN ARMY of volunteers has stepped up to offer back-room support to frontline staff at Atherstone's main hospital as it attracts worldwide attention after sending a 'Get Well Soon Boris' message to Britain's coronavirus-stricken prime minister.

Nurses, doctors and NHS staff at the George Eliot found themselves in the full gaze of publicity across the globe this morning for their cheering 16 letters of hope for Boris Johnson who has spent a second night in intensive care at St Thomas's hospital in central London.

As Nason ward manager Tracey Emms and senior staff nurse Sarah Wood were appearing on BBC Breakfast television and their faces all over the front pages of The Times and Daily Express newspapers – local residents have been clamouring to answer a plea from the Nuneaton hospital for administration assistance.

The hospital tweeted a 'We Need You' advertisement "at a time of crisis" asking for local people to volunteer to take calls or answer basic enquiries as well as help with recruiting staff and supporting existing ones.

The response saw more than 100 people offer their services for free.

A spokeswoman for the George Eliot said: "We would like to say a huge thank you to everyone who has applied to be a volunteer and we are making our way through as quickly as possible."

The staff's picture message to the prime minister went viral yesterday and as a result the two nurses were asked on to the BBC 1 show with presenters Dan Walker and Louise Minchin.

George Eliot hospital's executive director of nursing Daljit Athwal watched the show and tweeted: "Immensely proud of our super nurses. Team Nason, Tracey and Sarah, you were amazing.

"What a boost at this challenging time. So proud of you all."

Local social media suffered meltdown with more 500 comments from the public telling the staff at the hospital that "just saying thanks seems nothing compared to what they are doing for the community" during the pandemic outbreak.

Faye Butler posted: "Brilliant work. Well done all of you" while Rosaleen Williams added: "Cannot thank them all enough."

Margaret Tandy said: "Well done Tracey and team. You are all angels ordinarily, but you now find yourselves working in unprecedented times.

"You are amazing."

Diane Everitt ended: "Thank you will never be enough, but it comes from the hearts of everyone."

Mr Johnson's condition on Tuesday night remained "stable" as he stayed in St Thomas's for "close monitoring", according to Downing Street.

While he was said to be still in "good spirits", concerns were raised over when the lockdown measures will be reviewed – and England's chief medical officer Professor Chris Whitty admitted the UK has "a lot to learn" from Germany's expansive testing scheme.

But there was cautious optimism from chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance after he said the fight against Covid-19 "could be moving in the right direction".