AN INTENSIVE care nurse from Tynedale and her colleagues have honoured coronavirus patients in an online singing video which has been viewed more than 200,000 times worldwide.

Abi Purdy, of Stocksfield, is a member of the team which works on Ward 18 at Newcastle's Royal Victoria Infirmary which wanted to make the video to put a face to the workers behind the masks for patients.

Abi said that because nurses were hidden behind Personal Protective Equipment, it was hard to communicate with patients. She said: " We made the video so that we could put a face to the frontline workers. The ward is so quiet.

"We can’t have visitors at the moment either, so we we wanted people to see who it was looking after their loved ones."

Abi, who has worked in ICU for two years, added: “We loved doing it. It’s nice to be able to share some positivity at this sad time. The video is a tribute to those who haven’t got through it.

"We will continue to fight this, for them. I love my job and the fact I am able to help at this time. It is hard work, both physically and mentally, but the support has been overwhelming.

"We never quite expected the video to blow up the way it did."

The nurses have since been invited to appear via videolink on ITV's This Morning.