A Wigan Council service manager has become the voice of the nation with an emotional poem paying tribute to frontline workers.

I’ll tell you a tale that’s been recently written,

Of a powerful army, so Great it saved Britain.

They didn’t have bombs and they didn’t have planes,

They fought with their hearts and they fought with their brains.

They didn’t have bullets, armed just with a mask,

We sent them to war, with one simple task.

To show us the way, to lead and inspire us,

To protect us from harm and fight off the virus.

It couldn’t be stopped by our bullet proof vests,

An invisible enemy, invaded our chests.

So we called on our weapon, our soldiers in blue,

All doctors, all nurses, your country needs you!

We clapped on our streets, hearts bursting with pride,

As they went off to war, while we stayed inside.

They struggled at first, as they searched for supplies,

But they stared down the virus, in the whites of its eyes.

They leaped from the trenches and didn’t think twice,

Some never came back, the ultimate price.

So tired, so weary, yet still they fought on,

As the virus was beaten and the battle was won.

The many of us, owe so much to so few,

The brave and the bold, our heroes in blue.

So let’s line the streets and remember our debt,

We love you, our heroes, lest we forget.

By Matt Kelly, Service Manager, Parks and Streetscene, Wigan Council