A PETITION has been launched to build a memorial to honour the people who died from coronavirus in Kidderminster, Stourport and Bewdley.

Kerry Salmon, from Stourport, is calling on Wyre Forest District Council to fund a memorial featuring the names of all the patients who lost their lives to the virus - including her mum Georgina Dixon, who passed away in April, aged 65.

Kerry said: "My mum died from Covid-19 on April 15. The last time we saw her was the week before as she was rushed into hospital because she couldn't breathe.

"She didn’t really have the symptoms – she just had a bad chest which we thought was a chest infection. She hadn’t been out anywhere except for to the doctors.

"I spoke to her on the Saturday and she was fine, but then on Sunday, she deteriorated. They told her she had Covid-19 and took her down to ICU.

"They put her on an oxygen mask and we had a phone call on the Tuesday to say it didn't look good.

"On the Wednesday, Mum took the mask off herself - she couldn't bear it anymore - and that evening, she passed away.

"The Thursday after, they changed the law so that people could go to see their loved ones at the end. It broke my dad's heart.

"My dad caught the virus too but luckily we still have him with us."

Kerry said her mum, who lived in Bewdley, had suffered with underlying health conditions, including polio and asthma.

Georgina was a mum-of-three and had four grandchildren.

Now, her daughter Kerry is campaigning for a plaques to be commissioned to remember those who died to coronavirus, and has set up a Change.org petition which has already attracted more than 130 signatures.

Kerry said: "I want my mum to be remembered, not just as a number, but as a person. She had a family and she had been with my dad for 45 years.

"The families in Wyre Forest need some reassurance that we are going to get a place to go to remember them - whether that's plaques put up on walls or on benches. I've seen similar things done in Wales.

"I'm hoping the council will find it in their hearts to get this done.

"These people deserve to be remembered, but it's also a piece of history. This pandemic will be remembered forever."

According to data from the Office of National Statistics, there had been 113 coronavirus-related deaths in Wyre Forest in the weeks leading up to June 26.

Councillor Graham Ballinger, leader of Wyre Forest District Council said: “The council extends its sympathy to everyone who has lost a family member or friend to Covid-19.

"The district council is not planning to organise a physical memorial to those who have sadly died.

"If there is a desire locally to erect public memorials, the proposal is best considered by town and parish councils, as they are responsible for existing memorials such as war memorials.”

To view the petition, click here.