‘ILLEGAL’ motorway bridge banners thanking coronavirus key workers were taken down - but their message of love will soon reach a wider audience when it features on overhead signs instead.

The morale-boosting signs, made in part by school children, were put on the bridge over the M5 by grateful residents of Green Street, near Kempsey. Villagers are eager to thank frontline NHS staff and other key workers, including shop staff and food delivery drivers, who have proved so vital in the crisis. The love heart signs (pictured) were made using bed sheets and pub-style banners and attached with heavy-duty cable ties and could be seen in both directions as part of the community’s ‘bridge the gap’ campaign. When first displayed between junctions 7 (Worcester South) and 8 (Strensham) motorists showed their support by sounding their horns with one ambulance driver slowing down, flashing the vehicle’s lights and activating the sirens to acknowledge the community’s thanks.

However, the signs, which were put up on Thursday, April 2, were taken down that night. Mystified, the villagers replaced the signs the next morning and this time Highways England staff were seen removing them that evening.

Johnny Boyd, who put up the signs with neighbour Shelly Pope, immediately wrote to Jim O’Sullivan, chief executive of Highways England. While sympathetic to what they were trying to do, Mr O’Sullivan told him it was illegal to display signs on motorway bridges without planning permission. He added: “We have to assess the risk of it falling into the carriageway below and so it can be dangerous.”

However, he told Mr Boyd: “I wholeheartedly support out NHS.”

Pete Martin, customer services director at Highways England, agreed a compromise to display a thank you message to key workers on the overhead signs, a message expected to go live in Worcestershire on Thursday, thereby reaching a much larger audience than the initial gesture. Mr Boyd said: “Much kudos to Highways England who have embraced what we have asked them to do. They have been absolutely amazing. It has never been done before.”

The 51-year-old initially thought the voice of the people of Green Street was being ‘muted’ but was pleased to learn the opposite was the case. He has a friend in Birmingham who works as a consultant for the NHS and carried on working despite the death of his father from Covid-19. Highways England even returned the original signs which now adorn the Talbot pub in the Kempsey. He described the efforts of the NHS and key workers as ‘humbling’.

Highways England has confirmed the message of ‘thanks to all our key workers’ will be displayed on the nearest north and southbound variable signs between 7.45pm and 8.15pm this Thursday to ‘support the community effort by the people of Green Street and Kempsey’.

The organisation will roll this out across the country the following week but the signs will be displayed in Worcestershire first, near the location of the original banners, recognising that it was that community that initiated the idea.