A VULNERABLE man in total coronavirus isolation says he has been brought to tears by the kindness of strangers coming to his aid.

Mike Dicks, from Hove, has chronic lymphocytic leukaemia.

The cancer affects white blood cells and prevents his body from fending off viruses and infections.

Like more than a million people in the UK most at risk from the virus, he has been told by the NHS to remain completely indoors.

He has been warned to avoid all physical contact with others for at least 12 weeks in a precaution known as ‘shielding’.

But he said the prospect of remaining alone and sealed inside for months has been made less daunting by the generosity shown to him.

He said: “Complete strangers are offering to pick up groceries for me. There are moments in the day when I just want to cry because they’re so kind.

“I’m starting to say this publicly now — there are days when I just sob because I see someone doing something lovely, or somebody rings me and says ‘What can I buy you from the shop?

“I saw a story yesterday from a doctor in Italy saying that the worst thing about this illness is that everybody is dying alone, because they’re isolated and there’s nobody to hold their hand.”

But Mike said people are coming together in other ways. He is working to foster a sense of community amid the crisis. He is a freelance animator, and from his window, he has been beaming illustrated messages about the virus onto neighbouring walls in Shelley Road and Portland Road, Hove.

Many of the projections praise key workers and those helping the effort to contain the spread of Covid-19 by staying indoors.

They bear messages including: ‘Keep six feet apart’ and ‘help shield your neighbours by offering to shop for them’.

Mike said the response has amazed him. “Someone was looking at a projection and recognised me from Instagram”, he said. “They shouted up: ‘Mike, can I go and get you anything from the shop?’ That’s just sweet, isn’t it?

“And then a single mum from Brighton saw my projections and messaged me on Facebook, saying ‘Mike, is there anything I can get you?

“I looked at her profile and she’s got two young kids. She said: ‘I’ve got some spare loo rolls, do you want me to bring some round?

“I thought: ‘I’m not taking your loo rolls — but your kindness has just made me cry.”

Mike said there is lots of talk about people putting others at risk, but less attention given to those trying to help in everyday ways.

He said that last night, someone else saw one of his projections and got in touch. He explained: “One of the slides I put up said: ‘Make sure you thank the staff in Sainsbury’s’.

“Then, one of the girls who works in the Sainsbury’s below my flat took a picture of it and posted it on Facebook saying how much she loved it, and how much she and her colleagues appreciated it’.

“We need to be nice to these people, because they’re scared too. We’re living in a world where all the so-called ‘unskilled workers’ – nurses, cleaners, shop workers, delivery drivers, the people making our internet work – are the people we’re all relying on.

“I think celebrating the heroes in all this is important. That’s what I’m looking to do with my slides. I want to try and find these heroes and celebrate what they do.

“And I want to show pictures of vulnerable people too, and say ‘Please do it for them. Please stay inside for them.’”