The lockdown portraits which celebrate Exeter's Covid heroes

  • Watch Bob Cruwys' report

Behind every one of Stephanie Darkes' pictures there is a story of how the people of Exeter helped get each other through the coronavirus pandemic.

She says she was overwhelmed by the number of volunteers who came forward in the first lockdown to offer help to their neighbours.

She started photographing people on their doorstep to tell their stories on her blog Exploring Exeter.

Doorstep portraits are a snapshot of how people were feeling during lockdown Credit: ITV WESTCOUNTRY

The pictures have now gone on display in Exeter, to celebrate how the community came together.

Stephanie Darkes said: "We see so many bad things and negative things in the media and we see so many stories about people being bad and people being ugly to each other - but actually what I witnessed was just really good people all over the city wanting to do things for other people and I thought that was just phenomenal."

Faye and Ernesto Mosquera, who run a zero waste store in the city, feature in the portraits.

They have found time to open a second shop in Exmouth in the past year, as well as have another baby.

Their picture captures an important moment in their lives.

Ernesto said: "I think we have got to look back at this and think it was tough but it was a good year, an important year in our lives, for sure, a very important year."