A ROAD marking firm in Newport has painted 'thank you' messages to the NHS on several of the city's main roads, in a gesture of gratitude to front-line workers during the coronavirus crisis.

Matt Stanton, the managing director of Roman Road Marking, said he and a handful of staff spent this morning painting the messages on main routes used by ambulances and hospital staff travelling to Newport's Royal Gwent Hospital.

With the council's permission, the Pill-based firm painted two 'Diolch Yn Fawr – Thank you NHS' messages in Cardiff Road – one outside the central police station and the other outside Belle Vue Park.

They also painted messages in Malpas Road, near the fire station junction; and near Usk Way.

"We wanted to write a message of thanks to all those who work, day-in-day-out with no break and no furlough," Mr Stanton said.

"It's a thank you to anyone in the NHS, and anyone else, who are going through a lot to keep life going as normal."

Mr Stanton said today felt like an appropriate time to paint the messages, to coincide with the weekly 'clap for carers' events, during which people across the UK stand on their doorsteps and make noise for those health and care workers on the coronavirus front lines.