A BURY nurse nicknamed ‘The Angel of the North' was one of the coronavirus heroes that switched on this year's famous Blackpool Illuminations.
Leona Harris has worked as a Covid-19 frontline nurse at Fairfield Hospital in Bury since the start of the pandemic.
Not only that, she has helped raise £75,000 and bought i-Pads for patients in hospitals, care homes, and hospices all over Britain to keep isolated patients and families connected.
She was one of a group to carry out the virtual switch on that included a consultant, two nurses, a hospital catering manager, two extraordinary fundraisers, and a therapy dog and his owner.
This year's Illuminations, presented under a theme of ‘Bring on The Light', celebrate the unstinting work of the NHS, key workers and other outstanding individuals during the coronavirus pandemic, with the famous Golden Mile featuring a display of hearts and rainbows.
The illuminated images of a further 48 corona heroes are included within that section. They were chosen from hundreds of nominations from across the UK.
And they include Joy Redwood, care team manager at Royal Bolton Hospital.
Leona is also celebrating because she has been shortlisted for a Nursing Times Award 2020, in the Florence Nightingale Nurse of the Year category.
Speaking before the big light-up event, she said: "I am totally overwhelmed to have been chosen to feature and switch on this year's Blackpool Illuminations along with other amazing people.
"Also to be nominated and shortlisted in the final for such a prestigious award by the Nursing Times for the Florence Nightingale Nurse of the Year is unbelievable and surreal. Things like this just don't happen to people like me."
Steve Taylor, chief officer at Bury and Rochdale Care Organisation, said: "Leona is a true hero and a fantastic asset to the team here at Fairfield General Hospital.
"To be recognised by both Visit Blackpool and the Nursing Times is true testament to her abilities as a nurse.
"On behalf of everyone at the hospital I would like to say a great big thank you and congratulations to Leona for all her hard work and achievements."