A local 55-year-old has sent a video of himself enjoying his hobby of roller-skating in Greenwich Park as a thank you to NHS staff who gave him “life-saving” intensive care treatment whilst he suffered from coronavirus.

Clayton Jean-Charles, father of four, has leapt back into his favourite hobby just two weeks after he was discharged from University Hospital Lewisham where he said he underwent a “life-changing experience.”

Mr Jean-Charles was rushed to hospital after he began hallucinating from a fever and received extensive help with his breathing from a ventilator during his scary stay in hospital.

But the local resident was recorded already back on his roller-skates in Greenwich Park, and sent the video to staff at Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust as a thank you for helping him recover.

Describing what he went through, Clayton said he had been experiencing symptoms of Covid-19, including high temperature, shortness of breath and an extremely sore throat, so opted to self-isolate at home.

But his temperature quickly worsened, and he developed a fever.

Clayton said: “My wife contacted NHS 111 when the fever got worse: I was starting to hallucinate and felt terrible.

“After nine days at home, I was taken to University Hospital Lewisham by ambulance on 11 April.”

He was admitted a coronavirus ward and immediately put on oxygen, but was moved to the intensive care unit after his condition worsened further.

At the worst point, the 55-year-old was then put on a CPAP machine in order to help him breathe but after a few weeks he began to pull through.

Jean-Charles was eventually moved onto a cardiology ward after he start to feel better.

“Eventually, after almost three weeks in hospital, I was able to go home on 29 April,” he said.

"There were two things that really kept me going while I was in hospital – wanting to see my family and four girls again, and the encouragement of all the staff.

“They all worked so hard, and treated patients with such compassion and care; it was so inspiring.

“I cannot describe how amazing the staff were, and am welling up a bit just thinking about it.

“It was a life-changing experience to witness the grace, kindness and understanding of all the doctors, nurses, physios and other healthcare staff. I looked forward to seeing them every day and they were so positive and caring.”

Jean-Charles works as a plumber, but said he had been “truly inspired” by the wonderful work of the physiotherapists and was now determined to do part-time physiotherapy work.

"The physios gave me exercises to help me get back to normal and were incredibly patient and positive. It really has been a life-changing experience.”

Jean-Charles added: "I still have a bit of a way to go to get back to full health, the fact that I was well enough to go roller-skating in the park less than two weeks after being discharged shows how much better I am.

“I sent a short film of myself roller-skating to the staff who treated me to say thank you. I really can’t thank them enough; they are amazing."