A PRINTING company in Christchurch came to rescue after an NHS thank you banner hung up by a family run clinic in the town was vandalised.

Last May, Bridge Health & Wellbeing clinic on Bridge Street put up a banner to thank NHS and key workers for everything they were doing during the pandemic.

The sign had remained proudly in place until April 10 when it was vandalised and damaged by two young men.

The images were captured on CCTV and shared with the police.

A Dorset POlice spokesman said: "We received a report at around 10am on Saturday April 10 reporting criminal damage involving damage to a banner outside a building in Bridge Street in Christchurch.

"It was reported that the incident had occurred at around 10.50pm on Friday April 9.

"Officers have spoken to the victim and have carried out enquiries into this incident. No arrests have been made."

Keen to help, Richard Oswald, Proprietor at PP Printing in Christchurch, stepped in.

He said: “I was saddened to hear about Bridge Health & Wellbeing’s banner being vandalised.

“As a local business, Paul and Louise were understandably eager to demonstrate their thanks to the amazing NHS professionals that have worked tirelessly to look after patients during this unprecedented time.

“Replacing the banner was the right thing to do, to stop the actions of a few people ruining such a positive message for so many.”

The small business on Bargates recently handed over the new banner to Paul O’Connell, co-founder and physiotherapist at Bridge Health & Wellbeing on April 21.

From their state-of-the-art clinic in Christchurch, Bridge Health & Wellbeing over physiotherapy, sports massage and rehabilitation services, Pilates, Yoga and other wellbeing classes.

He said: “We are very grateful for Richard’s kind and generous offer to replace our vandalised NHS banner at no cost.

“Just like us, he wanted to play his part in saying thank you to the NHS heroes that have supported our local community over the past 13 months, going above and beyond to care for local people in their time of greatest need.”

The gesture is a great example of how businesses have continued to work together to support each other and the wider community during the pandemic.

Paul added: “So many businesses have been through such difficulties over the past year. But by working together we can all support each other and look forward to better times.”