Tony Mowbray has thanked the ‘heroes’ at Royal Blackburn Hospital working on the frontline in the battle against coronavirus.

The Rovers manager has praised the bravery of staff working every day in the town’s hospital to help tackle the pandemic that has forced the country in to lockdown.

For a third successive week the nation stopped to applaud the NHS at 8pm on Thursday night, ‘the clap for carers’ message spreading far and wide.

Mowbray joined in the praise for the NHS staff during a video posted on all of Rovers’ social media sites at the time of the minute’s applause.

And he says everyone at the club remains fully supportive of their efforts at this ‘unprecedented time’.

“I want to give a massive shout out to everybody working at the Royal Blackburn Hospital,” said Mowbray.

“We have an affinity with the hospital because we’ve been at Christmas to see the kids on the children’s ward and know a few of the nurses who work around that ward.

“At this unprecedented time it’s a big thank you to everyone working in the NHS, particularly helping those struggling with the coronavirus.

“Every day you go in to work you must be fearful and you see now that people of all ages, not just the vulnerable, are getting seriously ill.

“For getting in your car every day and going in to work, we’re all thinking of you, thank you for everything you do, thank you for the bravery you show at this time.

“Everyone at Blackburn Rovers is fully behind you and supporting you, you’re heroes to us all. Thank you.”