A story of our Covid times: How an Atherstone family laugh its way through a veil of tears by clapping Dino the jolly green giant dinosaur

THE POWELLS HAVE NOT MISSED A SINGLE DOORSTEP HOMAGE TO NHS STAFF AND CARERS SINCE CORONAVIRUS TOOK THEIR FATHER

GRIEVING Atherstone couple Jim and Steph Powell came out as usual for the Thursday doorstep homage to Covid health heroes to find their next door neighbour clapping for NHS staff and carers – from inside a giant dinosaur suit.

They warmly joined in the applause, continuing to smile through their sorrow as they have done these past five weeks since coronavirus took Jim's father along with more than 18,000 people in the UK.

Nub News opted to catch up later with BBC One charity special The Big Night In – where Children in Need and Comic Relief joined forces for the first time in a three-hour event which raised £27.4 million – and instead headed into town last night to witness the warmth with which the frontline against the Covid-19 pandemic is viewed by the public.

We went to Stanley Road to catch #ClapForCarers first hand – and discovered a family managing to laugh their way through a veil of tears following the tragic loss of a loved one in a story that will define our times.

The street came out in force to salute the NHS and were not disappointed when Chalk & Linen shop boss Russ Ward donned a fleecy costume to turn into Dino the jolly green giant dinosaur – giving everyone that desperately-needed feelgood factor feeling amid the gloom of lockdown and the despair of actual loss.

Russ's neighbours have felt the real pain associated with a silent killer that has laid a hand on 2.75 million people across the globe and taken the lives of almost 200,000.

Dave Powell was a retired lorry driver – in contact with his only son Jim, daughter-in-law Steph and grandchildren Harriet and Archie every day of his life.

"I either saw him and was on the phone to him every single day," Jim told Nub News.

His father lived on his own, was "well liked and well known" by the neighbourhood he had lived among for nearly 30 years in Tannery Close, Atherstone.

Mr Powell worked for many years for William Freeman & Sons and then shifted his allegiance to Asda, finishing around the age of 70 after spells in the office and cleaning the fuel pumps.

In retirement, Mr Powell liked the comfort of his own four walls, typified by his 49-year-old son as a "homely sort of bloke".

He got on well with his neighbours and continued his long-time hobby of steam trains.

Early in March he had to go to the George Eliot Hospital, Nuneaton, to have an abscess on his spine removed. He was admitted and everything seemed to be progressing nicely.

But just as he was being prepared to be released back in the care system in place at his home, he fell ill with pneumonia.

He was tested for coronavirus on the Monday, started going downhill on the Tuesday and died on the Thursday.

"For me, Dad went from being fine and looking forward to coming home to dying in four days – it was huge shock and so unexpected," added Jim.

And the impacting consequences of coronavirus then went on to impinge on the Powell family's grieving process.

Under social distancing restrictions imposed during the virus lockdown – only eight people were allowed to attend the funeral service at Nuneaton Crematorium.

"That was very hard to take," said Jim. "There is no doubt under normal circumstances that crematorium would have been full with people wanting to say their goodbyes to dad.

"As well as family, friends and neighbours – past work colleagues wanted to attend and couldn't."

The coffin was transported from the hospital direct to the crematorium. "We met it there and had to sit six feet apart in the chapel of rest," he added.

Restrictions even prevented the family shaking hands with Baxterley priest-in-charge, the Rev John White, who conducted the service.

There is no obvious sign of bitterness over this human tragedy called coronavirus – a huge sadness, yes – but Mrs Powell reflects it is "not just the vulnerable being taken by the virus but all ages".

Octogenarian Dave Powell died on Thursday March 19 – and his family was immediately forced into self-isolation for 14 days.

March 26 saw the first clap for NHS heroes and – despite being in isolation – the Powells were on the step of their Stanley Road home to salute the brave efforts of the George Eliot ITU team to save their father.

They have not missed any of the five tributes and are preparing for the nationwide minute's silence on Tuesday for NHS workers who have made the ultimate sacrifice to treat Covid patients.

Last night their neighbour Mr Ward dressed up to "bring a bit of cheer" to the close-knit community of Stanley Road.

Backed by an 'NHS We Love You' version of Queen's We Will Rock You he cavorted down the street – a funster in fleecy fabric.

It brought out a rendition on the pots and pans and furious waving 'from a distance' between friends and neighbours.

The story was repeated across town with dancing in the streets accompanying the clapping and aptly on England's patron saint's day – as well as a renamed St George Eliot's Day – one of Ball Truckin's 'NHS Thank You' trailers was spotted going down St George's Road in Atherstone.

To watch our Facebook Live video on Stanley Road's #ClapForCarers tribute, click here.