Yorkshire’s most touching moments of 2020: Captain Tom Moore’s 100th Birthday Walk and Clapping for the NHS

More than 75 per cent of residents were touched by a heart-warming news story since the pandemic started, a survey found.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the region's own Captain Tom Moore was voted as number one on the list.

The Keighley-born veteran raised millions of pounds for the NHS after walking laps in his garden in the lead up to his 100th birthday.

Also making the list was the weekly clap for NHS workers, watching key workers reunite with loved ones and abundance of rainbow paintings popping up in windows across Yorkshire.

The research, based on a national survey by the ZOONO, also found that the challenges of 2020 made the residents of Yorkshire kinder and more caring to one another, with a third of residents admitting they have been brought to tears by a random act of kindness.

It also found that despite the difficult year, more than half of Brits believe that there have been positive outcomes from the pandemic.

They found that 42 per cent of people valued their lives more, 41 per cent say they can appreciate the little things more, and that 37 per cent of Brits think that they are more caring and considerate to others as a result of the pandemic.

General Manager at ZOONO, Jamal McCleary, said: “It has been truly heart-warming to see people come closer together this year as so many have strived to protect the wellbeing of loved ones and neighbours.

“We noticed a surge in people buying our scientifically proven hand and surface sanitisers for key workers and vulnerable people as gifts; hundreds of people have gone the extra mile to keep others safe and protected for longer.

“That’s why we were interested to find out whether the pandemic has strengthened our relationships with others, even when we’d had to social distance, and made us all more caring and considerate despite the challenges we have all faced.

“Like many residents, we pledge to continue supporting others in the year ahead and look forward to being inspired by many more heart-warming moments yet to come in 2021.”

This list marks what Yorkshire ranked as the Top 10 Touching Moments of 2020:

1 - Captain Sir Thomas Moore raising money for the NHS on his 100th birthday

2 - The first clap for NHS carers

3 - Announcement of the Covid-19 vaccine

4 - Rainbow paintings in windows

5 - Seeing key workers reunited with their loved ones

6 - School children sending morale-boosting letters to care home residents

7 - Socially distanced Victory in Europe (VE) Day celebrations

8 - Hero welcomes for key workers in supermarkets

9 - Joe Wicks launching free daily PE lessons for children

10 - Postman in fancy dress to keep residents' spirits high