Residents of a small south Wiltshire village are clinging onto their strong community spirit to fight the Covid-19 crisis together.

Despite the very challenging circumstances we all find ourselves in, people in Porton have been trying their best to keep their spirits up.

Children have been decorating their windows with rainbows and 'stay safe' messages and a bear hunt is currently underway to keep the youngest entertained across the village.

A Facebook group, called Porton, Idmiston and Gomeldon Forum, has become a lifeline for many and last Thursday, hundreds came out on their doorsteps to join the national round of applause for NHS staff.

"It's bringing out the nice in people," said resident and mother-of-two Jenny Hancock.

"[The clap] was quite emotional because it wasn't just us, you could hear people all the way round and at the end somebody on the Facebook group said 'well done' to everyone.

"It's strangers talking to strangers but it's nice. You get things like 'I'm going to the shops, does anyone need anything?' which is lovely."

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On Malvern Way, where Jenny, 37, lives with her husband Steve, 44, and their children Harry and Dillon (pictured above), aged nine and five, the atmosphere is very friendly.

People occasionally chat, respecting the two-metre social distancing rule, and look after one another.

"It's like playing knock and run. The other day I was on the hunt for some flowers and my neighbour put them in a bag and left them outside my door. I do the same with my dad who's just across the road."

And for the elderly, some of whom still receive daily visits from their carers, everyone rallies round to make sure they are okay.

"We put a note through the door of our next-door neighbour to say 'if you need anything, if we can do anything, give us a call'.

"It gives a sense of community rather than everyone coming home and going into their little boxes."

Tonight, Porton residents will be out again at 8pm to clap for the NHS.

Being a very small village, Jenny says she didn't expect the last week's heartwarming response.

However, given how touching it was, somebody even suggested doing it again at Christmas, "maybe a little bit closer and in someone's house".