Bolton Cares ­— the town's largest care provider ­— is going above and beyond to care at this time of crisis.

Employees at the firm are continuing to care and support some of the most vulnerable people in society ­— all of whom are of the older generation or have disabilities and underlying health conditions.

Bosses say many staff have been covering different shifts in services they are not usually familiar with with "pride and passion, ensuring that no matter what, they are doing their upmost to give the best care they can".

Staffing levels have been a concern, given the number of employees who are off sick or self-isolating, but carers have have worked flexibly to ensure services run as smoothly as possible.

John Livesey, chief executive at Bolton Cares, said: “I would personally like to thank every single one of our employees.

"These are unprecedented times which pose a huge challenge to everyone.

"The care sector often gets overlooked but our teams are looking after some of the most vulnerable people in society.

"The way our employees are pulling together and working flexibility to ensure we continue to provide a vital service for the people we support is a credit to them.”