A GRANDFATHER who has been in hospital for more than three months after catching coronavirus has finally been given the all clear by medical staff to return home.

As reported in the Echo, Ian Cobb was undergoing chemotherapy when he contracted the virus in April.

He went on to spend 60 days in the intensive care unit before remaining in hospital undergoing rehabilitation for a further month.

Welder Mr Cobb, 48, from Wool, has impressed his family and medical staff alike with his recuperation and is now being allowed home.

A lead consultant said that Mr Cobb showed “amazing fortitude” to come through his battle.

Last month he left the critical care unit in Poole Hospital to a round of applause from his care team after surviving Covid-19.

Mr Cobb's wife, Samantha, was due to collect him from hospital and take him back to his home, where his stepdaughter and grandchildren will be waiting.

Mr Cobb’s stepdaughter, Danielle Thompson, said: "We're really looking forward to him coming home.

"We were thinking he'd be out around August so it's a big shock to us all, we couldn’t be happier.

"He's weak but he is getting there slowly. He is able to stand up and walk with the use of a stick or a frame.

“He gets tired easily but the progress is incredible, he's come so far from where he was.

“We are all incredibly proud of him.”

Mr Cobb has suffered from a rare disease called Amyloidosis since 2014. Amyloidosis is a rare disease which occurs when a protein called amyloid builds up in a person’s organs and interferes with their functions.

Mrs Thompson continued: "He’ll obviously still be shielding when he comes home but we've bought him a nice chair and put it by the window so he can still see people when they visit. He won't feel shut away from the world.

"He hasn’t been able to see his grandchildren at all so I think he's really looking forward to seeing them, they've made him a big welcome home sign.

"He's desperate, he's doing everything in his power to get back home.

"He can walk a few metres, is standing and sitting ok and can get in and out of a car.

"He's come out leaps and bounds, he's so far ahead of where we thought he would be. He's got so much determination, he's astounded us all.”