'THIS is not a joke,' - that was the emotional message of the family of a man who has died of coronavirus as they urged people to stay at home.

Adrian Davis-Johnston, grandson of Allan Davis-Johnston, 81, who died from the virus on Saturday, said: “We need to let people know that they must stay at home because there are consequences to people going out. People have robbed us of my grandad.”

Adrian, from Great Broughton, added: “People need to think twice. This is not a not a joke. It isn’t a game. Rules are there for a reason.”

He said his grandad had been observing the usual lockdown rules and the family are unsure how he contracted the virus. He said he must have had the symptoms prior to the national lockdown.

Mr Davis-Johnston had felt unwell last Monday and by Wednesday could not breathe. A family member called 999 and an ambulance took him to West Cumberland Hospital – and that was the last time that any of them saw him again.

Mr Davis-Johnston was tested for coronavirus on Wednesday night and found out on Thursday that he had tested positive. On Friday morning he was told there was not much hope of survival and he died on Saturday morning.

Adrian said: “The family is absolutely gutted. We are devastated. We didn’t get to see him again.”

The family are not allowed to see him at the funeral parlour and Adrian said the next time they will see him will be at the crematorium.

They are shocked that this has happened to a man who was very fit for his age.

Adrian said: “He was really, really, fit, very fit for his age – he did not look 81.”

Mr Davis-Johnston Senior was involved in several organisations in his home town of Cockermouth. He was chairman of Cockermouth U3A, a member of a choir and indoor bowls team and had been a former Copeland councillor.

Adrian said that the NHS had been “absolutely brilliant, staff were just amazing and everyone has been so helpful”. He said they did all that they could.

At the moment it is unknown when the funeral will be able to go ahead. All arrangements are happening slower than usual, and the hospital is so busy that is has even been difficult for the family to get a death certificate, but it is currently being processed for them.

When the funeral does go ahead, at Distington Crematorium, only 10 family members will be allowed to attend, to observe social distancing.

Adrian said this does not do his grandad justice and the family will hold a memorial and a celebration of Mr David-Johnston’s life later in the year. He had many friends and messages have poured in from all around the world.