A FIVE-YEAR-OLD girl was left "heartbroken" after her mum was told to remove a rainbow tribute she made to NHS workers following a neighbour's complaint.

Little Sophie Gray drew the rainbow with her mum, Sam, using chalk onto the brick wall of the family home in Holbeach, Lincs, on April 4.

⚠️ Read our coronavirus live blog for the latest news & updates

The rainbow has become a symbol of gratitude to NHS staff and other frontline workers who are helping keep the country safe during the Covid-19 outbreak.

But Sam 43, was left shocked after receiving a phone call from her estate agent telling her that her landlord wanted her to remove it.

They said the landlord had received a complaint from someone about the drawing, which faces onto the street.

She said: "I'd only just woken up when the estate agent rang up.

"She was really understanding. She said we understand why you've done it, but we've got to act because the landlord has been in touch with us.

Join our George Cross campaign for NHS staff

We are urging Sun readers to sign a petition calling for our NHS staff to be awarded the George Cross.

We are backing a proposal by Lord Ashcroft to honour our health heroes with the gallantry gong given for acts of bravery that did not take place in battle.

A No10 spokesman said: “The NHS is doing a fantastic job and the nation will want to find a way to say thank you when we have defeated this virus.” SAS hero Andy McNab added: “The award of a George Cross would show an emotional appreciation.”

We are asking our readers to please sign the petition below.

"It must be another neighbour who knows the landlord, because I don't even know who the landlord is and this is a quiet cul-de-sac.

"You've got to be really sad to complain about a chalk drawing."

Sam removed the drawing on April 22, much to the anguish of Sophie.

"She was upset," said Sam.

"We made it on April 4, so it's not been there a huge length of time. It was in quite a shaded area, so unless it rained really heavily it wasn't going to come

"We live in a two-bedroom flat, we don't have a garden of our own, just the little bit outside on the ground floor.

"I drew the outline and Sophie helped me colour it in. I wanted it to be big and bright enough so people could see.

RAINBOW TRIBUTE

"It was just something to cheer up Sophie and cheer up the neighbours. I couldn't understand why anyone would complain.

"One of my neighbours said she couldn't believe it either. Everyone else I've spoken to can't believe it either."

It comes as Boris Johnson returned to No 10 today, warning Brits against "lockdown imaptience" while the country is at "maximum risk" from the virus.

Heroic NHS and care home staff have been applauded across the UK every Thursday night during the  Covid-19 pandemic, which has led to more than 20,700 deaths in UK hospitals.

More than 100 NHS workers are believed to have died after contracting Covid-19.

Children across the UK, including two-year-old Prince Louis, have painted rainbow posters to thank frontline health workers battling the deadly disease.

Give now to The Sun's NHS appeal

BRITAIN’s four million NHS staff are on the frontline in the battle against coronavirus.

But while they are helping save lives, who is there to help them?

The Sun has launched an appeal to raise £1MILLION for NHS workers. The Who Cares Wins Appeal aims to get vital support to staff in their hour of need.

We have teamed up with NHS Charities Together in their urgent Covid-19 Appeal to ensure the money gets to exactly who needs it.

The Sun is donating £50,000 and we would like YOU to help us raise a million pounds, to help THEM. No matter how little you can spare, please donate today here: www.thesun.co.uk/whocareswinsappeal.

After removing Sophie's rainbow Sam received another phone call from the estate agents later in the day saying her landlord had decided it could stay.

But she had already cleaned it off, with Sam's post about the rainbow row causing outrage on social media.

One woman, Karen Scotney, blasting the landlord as "miserable", adding "it's only chalk. It will wash off when the time came."

Jason Smith said: "Bless the little girl's heart. Amazing picture."

Suey Hughes added: "Some people just don't understand what children are going through at this horrible time. I would get back out there and do a bigger one".

Fortunately though for Sam one of her neighbours has come to her and Sophie's rescue and will let her draw on her wall.

Sam added: "I just want to reiterate and say that it wasn’t the estate agents that had a problem with it. They were very supportive but had to follow up the complaint.

"Also following a second phone call from them, they have asked me to say that the landlord doesn’t have a problem with us showing support for the NHS but because it was drawn on the brickwork they were worried that it might damage it or not come off easily.

"They also said that if it was still there I could keep it on as long as I agree to remove it at a later date. Unfortunately I have already cleaned it off."

Source: Read Full Article