A MALVERN family helped make Mother's Day special despite not being able to see their 84 year-old mum.

The family of Barbara Collins, who lives in the town, were unable to see her due to the coronavirus crisis.

This did not stop them however, and the family made a sign and a special meal for her, visiting from outside her window.

Mrs Collins' daughter Helen Stanley said: "Mum decided a few weeks ago that it was probably best to keep herself to herself, and a few days before Mother's Day we were wondering what we were going to do.

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"My husband made her a nice beef stew and my daughters made her a special sign so we were able to see her from outside."

Mrs Stanley, along with daughters Ellie and Amy Neale and husband Keith Stanley came and visited her with the sign, which said: "Happy Mother's Day".

Mrs Stanley added her mother had said she would never forget what they did, and that she thought it was wonderful and had made her laugh.

She added: "I spoke to mum later in the day and she said she would never forget it.

"It made her laugh but the neighbour who took the picture said it made her cry.

"It is really important to still see your relatives but it is a really difficult situation."

Mrs Stanley said it was fortunate her mother lives in Malvern, as she lived in Burton upon Trent until last year to be closer to her family.

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"Everyone is in the same boat, we were lucky it is her first Mother's Day in Malvern as we wouldn't have been able to get out to see her if she still lived in Burton."

The Prime Minister announced earlier this week that all non-essential travel was forbidden, with citizens only advised to leave the home for essential work, shopping for supplies or for one period of exercise per day.

He said: "Without a huge national effort to halt the growth of this virus, there will come a moment when no health service in the world could possibly cope; because there won’t be enough ventilators, enough intensive care beds, enough doctors and nurses.

"To put it simply, if too many people become seriously unwell at one time, the NHS will be unable to handle it – meaning more people are likely to die, not just from coronavirus but from other illnesses as well."

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