Rugby care home brings the beach to residents - complete with sand, ice cream and knotted hankies

Staff at Overslade House wanted to share a special day with the residents and, owing to the current climate, a day trip to the beach was off the cards.

But the staff worked hard to do the next best thing - they brought a day at the seaside right to the residents' garden.

A spokesperson for the care home said: "Fish and chips always tastes better at the sea, so we weren’t going to let our residents miss out.

"As well as fish and chips, no visit to the beach is complete without an ice cream.

"Our wonderful activities team created the Overslade House ice cream van.

"The residents had fun choosing their own toppings from old time favourites including a 99 flake, chocolate, raspberry sauces, and hundreds and thousands.

"The fun didn’t stop there as one resident, John Smith, got all the men to knot hankies for their heads as he remembers doing as a child at the seaside.

"Another resident, Anne Fletcher led the Overslade choir in a rendition of “Oh I Do Like to be Beside the Seaside.”

Staff are hoping that next summer will bring the chance to take residents for a real trip to the beach next summer.