VICTIM TO BE GIVEN ‘VIRTUAL’ SEND-OFF

A ‘VIRTUAL funeral’ is to be held for an Irishman who died in the UK last week as a result of the coronavirus.

Leonard Gibson, 78, died on St Patrick’s Day in the Northern General Hospital in Sheffield. He was originally from Fintona, Co. Tyrone.

Speaking to Sheffield newspaper The Star, Mr Gibson’s daughter, Lisa Broughton, said: ‘My dad was the life and soul. He loved being at the centre of attention and deserves a big send-off, but we will have to do it differently and make sure as many people as possible can watch it virtually rather than in person.’

Ms Broughton and her family have been self-isolating, meaning her father’s funeral has had to be delayed because there is no-one to pick up the death certificate.

‘It is like we are in limbo but until we get the death certificate, we cannot plan anything,’ she said. ‘All we know is that we want some way of broadcasting the funeral to friends and family who cannot attend, especially those in Ireland.’

Mr Gibson was suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease before he caught the infection and his family are now warning others that health conditions such as these could mask the symptoms of coronavirus.

Mr Gibson was the first person to die of the coronavirus in Sheffield, and two more have since died in the area.

He left Ireland to work in England when he was in his 20s.

There, he met and married his wife Stephanie, who tragically died from cancer when she was 52 years old.

There is no date set for when the virtual funeral may be held.