A SENIOR paramedic from Ulverston who ‘worked tirelessly’ has died of coronavirus.

Mark Stanley, 57, had battled the virus for more than a week before he died.

He leaves behind his wife Jacqueline and his two children.

Mr Stanley, who was described by friends as being a ‘fitness fanatic’, grew up in Ulverston before moving to West Yorkshire in the 1980s.

Despite moving away, Mr Stanley returned once a year to take part in the Great North Swim in Windermere.

The team at the Great North Swim paid tribute to Mr Stanley.

They said: “We are sorry to hear of Mark’s passing and our deepest condolences go out to his family and friends at this difficult time.”

Duncan Beattie, who trained with Mr Stanley for five years in Wakefield as a paramedic, said his friend had ‘fond memories of Ulverston’.

“I’m in shock because I know Mark was fit as a fiddle two weeks ago and now suddenly he’s gone,” he said.

“Regardless of his age, Mark was a fitness fanatic who was in his prime, which just shows this virus is not picking and choosing - it’s something that knows no bounds.

“He leaves a legacy of training hundreds of paramedics across West Yorkshire, who are saving lives daily. He had a great sense of humour too, and cared enormously about training paramedic recruits. It was a great honour to work with him.”

Spokesperson for his family and personal friend, Mark Rattigan said: “I’ve known Mark for 32 years working with him in the health sector. He was the most diligent people I’ve ever met and he was extremely intelligent. It’s sad because Mark’s the second paramedic to die in Yorkshire within the past week.”

He died in Calderdale Royal Hospital’s Intensive Care Unit on Thursday.