Dad with terminal cancer makes trip from Devon to Cornwall to see his son after isolating in a camper van
Watch Richard Lawrence's full report above.
A man from Devon with terminal cancer who had been shielding in a campervan during the coronavirus outbreak has left home for the first time - to visit his son.
Simon Cowls, who lives in Yelverton, was given support from the doctors helping him live with bowel cancer to make the trip to Truro to reunite with his family.
He had been planning to tour Europe in a campervan before the pandemic broke out, but ended up isolating in it instead to protect himself from the virus.
Simon had been contained to the van for almost a month, until his wife was able to be tested for Covid-19 and he felt it was safe to join her in their Devon home.
The couple have since relied on deliveries to keep going whilst also keeping Simon safe, and the van bought to travel the continent has instead been used for a special day trip.
Simon’s son Jack had been working in Belgium at the beginning of the pandemic, and has been staying at his mother’s house in Truro - meaning he had not seen his Dad since Christmas.
The reunion allowed them to have a socially distanced tipple, and although they can not embrace each other just yet - they are delighted with the company.