A KIND-HEARTED mum whose son died after falling down the stairs is offering his Barrow house to hospital staff working on the front-line.

Sarah Saunders, a BAE worker, has already filled her holiday lets in Ulverston with Furness General staff working in the intensive care unit in a bid to give back.

However, now Mrs Saunders is offering her son’s three-bedroom house in Barrow to Furness General staff looking for accommodation during the coronavirus pandemic.

Mrs Saunders’ son, Michael Tracey, died after falling down the stairs and injuring his neck on a works night out in Ambleside in September last year.

After advertising her holiday lets to NHS staff, which were sitting empty on her farm near Ulverston, Mrs Saunders decided to open the doors up to her son’s former home in Barrow too.

She said: “I put a post online saying I had holiday lets available here which were just sitting unused and they were all filled within days.

“They’re all filled with ICU staff – we have one nurse and theatre staff who are either travelling or self-isolating from their family.

“They’re so grateful to be given a house – I actually woke up to a bunch of flowers the day after they arrived.”

Mrs Saunders said she wanted to ‘give back’ in whatever way she could during the coronavirus crisis.

“The NHS desperately need our help right now and I want to help in whatever small way I can,” she said.

“It’s the least I can do with everything that’s going on. I was more than happy to help.

“Mick’s home is just sat unfurnished and unused at the moment so it makes sense for someone who really needs it to move in.

“We’re only going to offer it to hospital staff who need accommodation.”

As well as offering up her homes, Mrs Saunders has also signed up to be an NHS volunteer and delivers goods for people in self-isolation.

After the coronavirus pandemic, Mrs Saunders said she plans on hosting an alpaca party for ICU staff at the hospital.

“I want to hold an event for the ICU team after all this is over,” she said.

“I have an alpaca farm so it’ll be a nice, relaxing event for everyone to chill, do a bit of a yoga, have some afternoon tea and catch their breath.”

If you are interested in Mrs Saunders’ house, she can be reached on 01229 868060.

Meanwhile, the lockdown means a new doctor set to start work at St Mary’s Hospice this month had been left with nowhere to live.

Dr Laura Booth had accepted one of the vacancies at St Mary’s Hospice but after the outbreak of coronavirus the purchase of her new home fell through.

As a result St Mary’s issued an appeal on social media calling for any offers of help to find Dr Booth accommodation.

Just two days later a home had been found.

The hospice said on Twitter: “We are overwhelmed at offers of help to find our new doctor a home to help her join us.

“Sorry if we couldn’t get back to everyone. Laura has a brilliant insight into the community she is joining.”