A crying nurse is pleading with Britons to stay home and support the NHS as the pressure of the coronavirus pandemic leaves staff on their knees.

Shirley Watts, an operating theatre nurse at Basildon University Hospital, Essex, fought back tears as she tells the country how stretched staff are, as they try and stem the tide of coronavirus patients.

Teary Watts said: “We’re desperately short of staff. Things are really difficult and we’re all struggling.

“If you stay in and you don’t spread it and you don’t catch it, that takes the pressure off of us because we’re all on our knees at the moment.”

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She continues: “We’re trying to save lives. We’re all just doing what we can to save people’s loved ones and I want you to see me like this because I want people to realise how serious it is.

“If you know anyone that’s going out and they don’t need to if you see groups of people, I want you to say something to them. I want you say ‘you need to stay indoors and you need to stop spreading it, you need to stop catching it’.”

Since Britain went into lockdown the public has taken part in two nationwide claps to show its appreciation for the NHS.

But this weekend’s warm weather has seen the public ignoring social distancing rules.

A tearful Shirley adds: “I know people are appreciating what we’re doing, that we’re staying away from our families and putting ourselves in danger to try and save other people’s loved ones.

“It feels like a losing battle, but it’s not because we’ve all got hope and we’re all trying to do what we can.”

Shirley was speaking after finishing a six hour shift. She told viewers she was going home to sleep before returning for another shift tonight.

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