Mourners line the streets to remember South Shields nurse and his parents who died of coronavirus

Hundreds of mourners lined the streets for Keith, Lillian and Maurice Dunnington while medics paid their respects at the back of South Tyneside District Hospital to give the family a fitting send-off.

Keith, who worked at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Gateshead as a staff nurse, was 54 when he died after contracting coronvirus in April.

Mum Lillian, 81, and dad Maurice, 85, both passed away in hospital days apart after also contracting Covid-19.

Debbie Harvey, Keith’s cousin and his parents’ niece, told the Gazette that the three were ‘really loved’ by all who knew them and would be hugely missed.

Keith, dad to Ben, 21 and Olivia, 17, trained to become a nurse in Birmingham and ‘gave 200%’ to everything he did.

At the time of his death, he was employed by agency Pulse Jobs.

“He looked after people so well and stood up for them,” Debbie said perviously.

“He would stand up to the highest consultant if he thought his patient was in danger or needed help.”

A champion swimmer for South Tyneside, Keith – who attended Laygate and Mortimer Schools – took home countless prizes and trophies. He also acted as a scout for Sunderland AFC when he first left school.

Yvonne Ormston MBE, chief executive of Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust, previously paid tribute to him as a “popular and hard-working” member of the nursing team in a message to staff following his death.

Dad Maurice, 85, was well-known around town after working for Stagecoach both on the buses and at the depot.

He was also a devoted supporter of the British Legion and a ‘brilliant singer’ who enjoyed a spin on the karaoke machine.

Debbie, 55, remembered her uncle as ‘larger than life’ and went on to say she would always treasure memories of afternoons spent together as a family and Christmases at ‘Auntie Lillian’s’, where she would put on a fantastic spread of food ‘enough to feed the 300’.

Lillian, who was 81, previously worked at South Tyneside College’s Winterbottom Hall as a catering assistant.

Debbie added: “She was a lovely, quiet, private person – and she had the most generous, loving heart.”

The family has been ‘overwhelmed’ by messages in tribute to Keith and his parents following their deaths.

Debbie, who lives in South Shields with husband Doug, added: “I think it’s important that people realise the virus is deadly.”

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