A DAUGHTER has hailed her father as "one of the most amazing human beings" after he managed to fight off Covid19 for second time.

Deborah Murphy said George Ollier, 83, was like a "Teflon man" having survived many other illnesses during his life, including diabetes, heart problems and bowel cancer.

Sadly, for the family, they have also had to cope with tragedy this year as the virus claimed the life of Deborah's brother Colin, who died on April 8 at the age of 53.

Deborah said: "My brother was Dad's carer and lived with him in a bungalow in Middlewich.

"He was taken ill on April 3 and taken straight into ICU at Leighton Hospital, where he was immediately put on to a ventilator.

"He never regained conciousness, but the ICU team were amazing and allowed me to go and see him.

"I managed to hold his hand as he passed away, which was extremely sad."

Due to concerns about stopping the spread of the virus, Deborah was not able to actually go and see her father to tell him the awful news, as he had to completely self-isolate for a period of two weeks.

She added: "I had to tell him through an open window that his only son had died.

"It was so very sad as Colin was also my Dad's full time carer, so we had to make arrangements for him as he was now faced with living on his own.

"He had carers going in every day to see him, but just weeks later he was taken ill with pneumonia and ended up in Leighton Hospital himself."

Despite initially testing negative for Covid19 on more than one occasion, a subsequent test on Mr Ollier proved to be positive and he remained in hospital for the next six weeks.

She went on: "Despite being very poorly with that and other illnesses, he managed to recover but was told he wasn't well enough to go 'home home' so he ended up at Sandiway Lodge Nursing Home.

"My Dad's one of the most amazing human beings. He's a gentleman.

"They've all fallen in love with him at Leighton and at the home.

"I've always said, if everyone had parents like I did, the world would be a happier place."

Despite regular testing at the nursing home, Deborah was not allowed to go and visit her father at the home and had to make do with phone calls.

However, a couple of weeks ago, the home began to allow garden visits for its residents and she finally got to see him again.

"I'd only had two visits to see him before I got a call a week last Friday to say he had taken ill again and they think it's pneumonia", she said.

"I phoned Leighton and they said he'd tested positive for covid again, which was confusing, but they said it can be like a dormant part of the virus."

After less than a week in hospital, Deborah rang them again last Thursday only to be told he had already left and returned to the nursing home.

She said: "They said they all clapped him out because he was their last covid patient, so it was a nice way for him to hopefully finish his journey.

"We actually call him 'Teflon man' because he's had so many things and he always bounces back.

"We've said the earth could be scorched and my Dad would be there saying "can I have a cup of tea".

"We've been very aware of his mental health. Despite saying he's fine, we know how awful it must be.

"He's quite a private man. We lost our Mum seven years ago and she was his soulmate."