Creative Wiganer's tribute to front-line workers and message to stay home

Rob Bromwich lost his uncle Fred Smith, aged 92, to the killer bug around three weeks ago.

The 51-year-old now wants to highlight the importance of observing government lockdown rules - and has designed the 3D ornaments to get that message across.

They includes figures of a nurse, postman, fireman and paramedic with the slogan “stay home, protect the NHS” and “thank you NHS and key workers”, displayed on them.

Rob, from Whelley, who is still doing post rounds as a key worker, said: “It’s very sad losing my uncle, who was from Stockport, and sadly there are lots more people dying from this dreadful virus.

“The idea for the figures came about as people have been putting the rainbows up for key workers.

“I’ve also made pop-up birthday cards for my family before the lockdown, so I thought it would be a good idea to make these 3D people for the front window and show my appreciation and to get across how important it is to stay at home.

“I was only going to do a nurse and doctor at the beginning but now I’ve done a postman and a fireman and a paramedic.

“I’m also looking at doing a figure of Captain Tom Moore, who did the birthday walk for the NHS.

And Rob, who has been a postman for 10 years, delivering mail around Platt Bridge and Abram, said he designs the figures on his computer.

He added: “They’re made of paper and cardboard.

“I design them on my computer and use a laser pin and then print them out and glue them altogether.”

So far Rob has made eight figures, and while he plans to make more for his front window, he said he might donate them for NHS workers once the lockdown is over.

He said: “I’ve had a good response and had two people already wanting me to make some figures for them.

“I might donate them to Wigan's hospital once this is all over to thank them.

“As a key worker myself, we have to make sure people don’t come up to us too close and you can’t give mail to them as you would normally be able

to.”

He added: “People just need to stay at home and observe the lockdown so we can protect the NHS and save lives, and these figures are a way of getting that message

across.”