May 1, 2020 11.22 am This story is over 58 months old

Police surprise minion and panda near Lincoln to join their clap for carers

A big thank you to NHS staff and all key workers

Police turned up to surprise two young girls, who have been delighting locals as a minion and a panda near Lincoln, to join in their weekly clap for carers on Thursday evening.

Father-of-five Andy Fox has been outside the front of his house in Stow every day since April 20 with two of his daughters, Kali-Marie, 11, and Kelsie-Jay, 9, alternating the minion costume between them every hour.

They live near the main Ingham Road between Stow and Ingham and wave at passing cars and cyclists, whilst raising money for the NHS in Lincolnshire.

Every Thursday evening at 8pm when it is time for the national clap for NHS and other key workers, Kelsie-Jay comes outside dressed as a panda to join her sister.

Kali-Marie and Kelsie-Jay dressed in costume, along with their older sister Kaila-Anne. Photo: Gemma Roberts-Fox

The Lincolnite and Lincolnshire Police collaborated to give the family a happy surprise on Thursday, April 30.

Special Sergeant Kevin Taylor, Chief Pilot at the Lincolnshire Police Drone Unit, and PCSO Pamela King, from Gainsborough Police, observed social distancing rules as they joined the family in their clap.

A thank you from police to the Fox family. Photo: Gemma Roberts-Fox

Thank You Kali-Marie and Kelsie-Jay. Photo: Gemma Roberts-Fox

Andy said: “We were very surprised. I did not expect it as where we live is very remote. I looked down the road and saw flashing blue lights and sirens. The kids were so excited because they only see this kind of thing on television and will never happen to them, so when it did they loved it.”

Meanwhile, Lincolnshire Fire & Rescue’s Red Watch crew did their weekly clap on Thursday, alongside ambulance technicians and paramedics, whilst adhering to social distancing rules outside the tri-service station on South Park in Lincoln.

Posted by Kenny McLaughlin on Thursday, 30 April 2020

The firefighters of Red Watch said they can hear the residents through the trees across the road with their pots and pans and it is really appreciated. They added that their thoughts are with the nurse who died at Pilgrim Hospital in Boston.

Staff at Pilgrim Hospital paid their respects nurse Anujkumar Kuttikkottu Pavithran, who tragically died aged 44 on Monday, April 27 after working with the NHS for nine years.

Follow The Lincolnite’s coronavirus live blog and for the positive news of the week check out the good news live blog.