Coronavirus: Nurse 'hasn't hugged son, two, in five weeks'

Charlotte Cole and her husband Daniel isolated from George, two, after Covid-19 was confirmed at her workplace

A self-isolating nurse who has been separated from her two-year-old son for five weeks has said not being able to hug him has been "heartbreaking".

Charlotte Cole took the "hard decision" to move George to her parents, who live five minutes away, after Covid-19 was confirmed at one of her workplaces.

The 30-year-old and her husband have been making daily trips to see the toddler through a window ever since.

She said she wanted "to give him a cuddle" but thought it too risky.

"It was such a hard decision to isolate from George but I was coming into contact with people with coronavirus on a daily basis," said Ms Cole, who works as a care nurse for a company which serves nursing homes around the North West.

She said she also wanted to protect her mum Bridget, 55, and dad Robert, 65, who usually look after the toddler while she and Daniel, who works as a data analyst, are at work.

"Because of my work I am a continuing risk," she said.

Charlotte Cole said she initially thought the lockdown would last just a few weeks

"I decided I would rather they stayed in a bubble than put them all at risk," she said.

At first the couple, both 30, from Kirkham, Lancashire, thought the lockdown would last just a few weeks but as the lockdown extended Ms Cole said being away from George had become more difficult.

"The house just feels so empty," she said.

"We have videos calls everyday and my mum and dad send me lots of pictures of him having breakfast and playing which is lovely, but it's the simple things I miss like not being able to read him a bedtime story, bath time even making him his lunch."

She added: "They love having him but it is really hard for Daniel and I."

When her parents' next door neighbour, and professional photographer, spotted the daily visits he asked Ms Cole if she would like him to take pictures as a record of the moment for the family.

Peter Austin, 45, said: "It was such a joyful family occasion. I wanted to give the family, who are my friends as well as neighbours, something to help them remember this time in a positive way."