Ringstead coronavirus self-isolator Roger serenaded by musical neighbour

A Ringstead live music-lover who has been in self-isolation for nearly two weeks has been having his own personal gigs from a musical neighbour.

Roger Kinsey and his wife Chris were having to stay indoors in their Ringstead home due to Roger's health condiditon.

When neighbour Bob Fisher, a musician, heard that Roger was in self-isolation he decided to visit the couple and sing a song each day to cheer them up.

Bob said: "Roger loves his music so I phoned him up and said can I come round, and open your window.

"I sang him the Alphabet song on the first day and it started from there. It was a bit cold and drizzly but I stood in the garden and sang."

On Monday, Bob, who is a member of the local band Ock 'n' Dough, got the messgae to stay at home due to an underlying health condiditon.

Undeterred Bob has been sending his friend videos of the songs from his home across the road.

Bob said: "I've go asthma and Parkinson's but I'm a cyclist and canoeist so I'm fit but I've been told to stay indoors for 12 weeks.

"It's my 60th birthday in October and we had been planning a birthday gig where I was going to sing 60 songs so it's good practice."

Roger has been in self-isolation since March 13 after he had a pre-op CT scan at NGH and a consulation with his anaesthetist.

He will undergo major surgery soon to treat an abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) - a bulge in a major blood vessel which untreated could be fatal.

The 74-year-old said: "In three weeks I hope to have surgery for the AAA. I will need to be in a high dependency bed for 24 hours after the operation and afterwards be in isolation for 30 days.

"I said to Bob jokingly that he would have to bring the live music to me. The next thing he was in my garden singing.

"He started at A when it was cold and miserable, and he's working his way through the alphabet.

"Bob has really helped cheer us up. Mine's a life-threatening condition and every day we look forward to it."