A man whose daughter was born during the lockdown praises the NHS for their hard work.

Ashley Miranda, 39, whose daughter Alayna was born last week (March 23) at a hospital, went the extra mile to praise NHS last Thursday (March 26) during the ‘clap for carers’ campaign.

The father caught the attention of people on Dukes Avenue, Harrow, as he brought out his guitar and sung “for they are jolly good fellows”.

Mr Miranda said: “I was blessed as my wife Anisha Miranda-Shah - the female voice in the video spurring me on - gave birth to our baby girl.

“Seeing the efforts that the NHS staff took in making this happen despite all the stringent controls in place in the hospital, made my decision stronger that I would not miss out in supporting the NHS at 8pm on the dot.”

The residents gathered, clapped from their houses, windows and balconies with people banging pans, playing music and singing.

Mr Miranda, who has family members working for the NHS, added: “My intention was just to create some melody to the clap.

“During the clapping, however, it came to mind that they should have something a bit more meaningful, such as some personal words, so I decided to just sing NHS are jolly good fellows.

“Their work can go unseen, especially during the COVID-19 events, so it was just a lovely gesture from all of us in the neighbourhood.”

The campaign, ‘Clap for Carers’ was set up online as an act of appreciation for all doctors, nurses, GPs and carers working hard to combat the coronavirus.

People across the UK were captured cheering in union to show their support.

Ateeb Khan, 25, from Dukes Avenue said: “The energy was electric and heart-warming.

“Seeing everyone young and old clap from the windows, some playing musical instruments, some banging on pans, others singing, gave a great sense of community and comfort.

“I rallied the troops in my household and clapped till our hands got sore!

“We all love the NHS and those who care for us and it can be difficult to show gratitude for the health service and those working within.

“Campaigns like these create a sense of togetherness, community and unity; ultimately, proving comfort that we are here for one another, we can tackle the virus together and provide a morale boost to those who are on the front line.”