Doctors said he may not survive coronavirus, but after 50 days in hospital, a dad from Swanley has finally returned home.

Against the odds, Darren Moore beat the virus after spending a month in a coma at Darent Valley Hospital, despite having no pre-existing medical conditions.

Darren speaking to KMTV about his experience

He said: “I have a vague recollection of going through the hospital doors and that’s it.

“The next thing I know, I went to sleep in April and woke up in May.”

Darren’s wife Lisa says she had to put on a brave face at home for their 12-year-old daughter Daisy, but admits she feared the worst.

“Every time the landline called, I was dreading answering it because the doctors told me they’d only call if there was a serious update,” she said.

“They told me twice he was critical and may not survive. Obviously I had to be strong for our daughter so I used to do all my crying in the shower so she couldn’t see or hear me.

“It was really hard, I didn’t want to tell her some of the stuff they were saying because I didn’t want to scare her.”

Nearly two months on and two stone lighter, Darren arrived home to cheers from socially-distanced crowds of neighbours.

The 47-year-old added: “The first thing I thought of was, ‘great they’re all six feet apart’.”

But Darren knows he still has a long recovery ahead, from having to regain the strength to pick up a cup and learning to walk again.

Lisa urges anyone still breaking the rules, to take Darren’s experience as a lesson.

“Please take it seriously, because your loved ones can be taken away from you just like that.

“People need to see this, because this is what happens when you don’t follow the rules.”

As the nation prepares for what could be the final clap for carers tonight, the loudest applause will come from the Moore household.

“Without them I wouldn’t have my husband and wouldn’t have him beside me.

“Every single one of them, it’s not just the doctors and nurses, it’s the maintenance staff, the porters and the cleaners, they’re amazing.”

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