A family in the region are set to complete a mammoth walking challenge to pay tribute to the staff at the RVI for helping their father following a battle with Covid-19.

Gayle Nixon along with brothers Paul and Craig Borrow will later this month complete a four day walk along Hadrian's Wall to raise money for the Newcastle Hosptials Charity after their father David was hospitalised with Covid-19.

"My mum and dad caught Covid at the start of this year and dad was hospitalised and in intensive care for five weeks," said Gayle.

"He was taken into hospital on the 29 January 2021 with COVID and then on Sunday 31 he was moved in to intensive care because his breathing became worse.

"We were told on several occasions to expect the worse and that he probably wouldn't survive.

"He was kept on a ventilator and he had a tracheostomy put in and then eventually he started to make improvements and they woke him up.

"He was quite delirious at the time when he woke up. He didn't know where he was or what was going on. After fighting through that he was discharged to a ward."

David is now recovering at home and Gayle went on to praise the staff who cared for her father and admitted it was a challenging time for the family.

"The doctors were pretty much amazed that he pulled through and in the end how quickly he pulled through," added Gayle.

"As a family it was a horrific time for us all not being able to visit him or hold his hand. "The nurses and the doctors at the RVI we couldn't thank them enough. He was so well looked after and they kept us well informed the whole way through."

"Me and my brothers said we wanted to thank the doctors and nurses and decided to do this walk for them. We didn't think flowers and chocolates were enough and we wanted something a little bit extra.

"Dad is really really proud of us. He said he wishes he could do it with us but obviously he can't. But I'm sure he will be there along the way."

To view more about the challenge the trio are completing head to their fundraising page at: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/borrow.