AN EXTRAORDINARY family from Breightmet are doing everything they can to help their community through the coronavirus crisis.

The Barry family, from Dovedale Road, have been going out of their way to ensure all their neighbours have everything they need.

Mum Angela, 32, her husband Martin, 33, and boys Joshua, nine, Ben, seven, and Isaac, four, have been checking in on their neighbours every day to make sure no one’s left alone.

Mrs Barry said: “It started with a fruit and veg stall – I’d been ill for a while before all this started so I’d been in for a long time.

“We had everything we needed in the cupboards but we really missed fruit and veg and I knew other people would be feeling the same at the moment.

“We ordered some in and ordered a bit more to put some on a stall out the front of the house for people to take what they wanted.

“The boys loved it, they were really proud market stall owners – they stood at the window and got really excited every time someone came up to have a look.”

Since then, the family have been going round to each neighbour to see how they're doing.

Each house has been given a phone number for the family, who have become affectionately known as the Dovedale family, and two pieces of coloured paper.

Residents have been asked to pin up the blue sheet of paper if they're ok and don't need the Barrys to check in with them.

Putting up the orange sheet alerts the family to a neighbours need, which can be anything from food, errands, or a chat.

Mrs Barry added: “We went round to check up on all of our neighbours and a lot of them had no support.

“Some had family or friends nearby, but a lot didn’t have any one to help them.

“I saw the coloured card idea online – someone in America had done it – and I’d already posted cards with my name and number on so I went round and handed those out too.

“The boys love it, we go out every afternoon and it’s like a game for them trying to spot the paper – they get really excited to see the orange slips and that someone needs us to do something.”

Sometimes the family have some extra special treats to take round with them, leaving loaves of bread, packs of food and essentials, and little treats to brighten people's day.

On Thursday, the Barrys went round with Easter eggs for their neighbours, handing out the seasonal sweets to keep people smiling.

Yesterday, the free fruit and veg stall returned to the space outside their house, for residents unable to get to the shops.

Mrs Barry hopes to keep the stall running every week, but all produce is paid for by the family and she doesn't know if they can afford to keep buying so much for the duration of the lockdown.

She added: "We're lucky to have the internet and our phones to be able to see that we can get deliveries but not everyone in out community is that fortunate.

"When you start something like this it just snowballs and it's great to see.

"As long as we can keep doing this, we will."

Visit the Make Us Smile in Bolton! Facebook group to follow the Barrys' work in the Breightmet community.