Heartwarming message from Australia from former Burnley nurse is to 'never lose that good old British sense of humour'

"Chin up, behave, obey, be positive, think of others, remain stoic and never lose that good old British sense of humour!"
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

That is the postive message a former Burnley nurse, who emigrated Down Under 14 years ago, has sent to people in her hometown and across the UK as they face a lockdown of up to three months on the orders of Prime Minister Boris Johnson in a special broadcast to the nation last night.

Debbie Heron, who made her home in Perth, Western Australia in 2005, sent the message to people in Burnley as a way to lift their spirits and also as her adopted country prepares to follow suit and go into lockdown which she said is the only way to speed up the recovery process.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

A registered nurse working on an acute mixed medical ward at Joondalup Health Campus in North Perth, Debbie said there were many similarities between Australia and the UK regarding the pandemic, including the same panic buying, fights over toilet rolls and the theft of alcohol gel and disinfectant wipes from hospitals.

Former Burnley nurse Debbie Heron has sent a postive message of support to her hometown from AustraliaFormer Burnley nurse Debbie Heron has sent a postive message of support to her hometown from Australia
Former Burnley nurse Debbie Heron has sent a postive message of support to her hometown from Australia

Debbie, who went to Christ the King RC Primary School in Burnley said: " People are even clearing pharmacy stocks of ventolin inhalers, panadol and cold remedies.

" My hospital has completely run out of paracetamol tablets due to over demand.

"We’re using dispersible or asking the doctors to prescribe slow release. People are definitely becoming really scared and there seems to be an eerie feeling about the place. Most people are feeling that total lock down is necessary and imminent.

" Everyone is being affected as they are in the UK."

Debbie Heron pictured on the beach close to her home in Perth where she moved to from Burnley 14 years agoDebbie Heron pictured on the beach close to her home in Perth where she moved to from Burnley 14 years ago
Debbie Heron pictured on the beach close to her home in Perth where she moved to from Burnley 14 years ago
Hide Ad
Hide Ad

A former St Hilda's RC High School pupil, Debbie (54) added she wanted to send her 'best wishes and love' to everyone back home as the reality of the pandemic unfolds adding: "It is actually getting pretty scary now and doesn't seem real, very much a 'once in a hundred years' scenario."

Debbie also appealed for people buy newspapers as a lasting record of this once in a lifetme occurence adding: " This is history in the making and our children, grandchildren and great grandchildren can read the newspapers in many years to come and be absolutely amazed at the time the country,.in fact the world, ground to a halt and silence consumed the earth."