Most residents have stood outside their front doors to clap for carers during the coronavirus lockdown, but some have had other ideas to mark the occasion.
Graeme and Sarah Wigglesworth from Littleport thought about running an air raid siren from the Second World War they acquired three years ago yesterday (Thursday, April 30) to show their appreciation for NHS workers battling on their own version of the frontline.
Ahead of the 8pm event, Sarah asked fellow residents on social media whether they objected to the siren being ran due to its loud noise, but the responses she received were overwhelmingly in favour of the idea.
Sarah said: “The siren was acquired about three years ago so we could use it at Wells and Walsingham Light Railway for the 1940s weekend. Graeme is operations manager there.
“We are surrounded by houses so unsure how many heard it. A friend of mine’s dad heard it and she thanked me for giving him a pick me up.”
Sarah’s initial request to play the siren just after the clap for carers and in recognition of Captain Tom Moore’s 100th birthday received over 180 reactions, with over 100 comments, mostly encouraging her and Graeme to go ahead with their idea.
One said they would be “disappointed if you don’t!”, another wrote it had “been a while since I heard one of those” while one person said that “hopefully we can hear it over the entire village”.
Although she is unsure exactly how many people heard the siren, the sound may have provided a sense of nostalgia to some who perhaps would have tuned in.
Already, Sarah has been asked whether she will run the siren during VE Day celebrations next Friday (May 8), but despite not knowing if this will happen, she is pleased with the feedback from her local community.
Sarah said: “We have been asked to do it next week for clap for carers and VE Day, but I’m unsure at minute as I don’t want to upset anyone.
“I was pleased it didn’t get a lot of negative reactions as I didn’t want to upset people. It felt right as it was also Captain Tom Moore’s birthday.
“If people did not like the idea, I wouldn’t have done it, that’s why I asked first.
“We help our neighbours, friends and family, and I was pleased it got lots of positive attention.”
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