Family of remarkable 102-year-old battling covid-19 asks for cards to wish her well as she is 'cut off from the outside world'

Joan Capel, 102, is currently 'cut off from the outside world' due to being in isolation and her family has asked people to send her a note or card to wish her well.

Last weekend, Joan banged her head after slipping over on a late night trip to the bathroom.

After being taken to the Wrexham Maelor Hospital for treatment, she received a routine test for the virus where it was found she had tested positive.

Granddaughter Alison Telfer, who lives in Lincolnshire, is asking people to send her some love to her care home so she does not feel forgotten.

She told the Leader: "She is a remarkable lady. She still works normally at Erddig for the National Trust. She survived Spanish Flu in 1919 and has now tested positive for Covid-19. She is currently well but being kept in isolation which after 10 weeks is destroying her.

"She is cut off from the outside world and therefore doesn't understand what is going on. She feels she's a prisoner. I'm asking if people could drop her a note or card to wish her well - she needs to know the outside world is still here for her."

Anyone wishing to send Joan a card can do so to Ashleigh Court Care Home, Chester Road in Wrexham.

Alison said her grandma is a 'remarkable character' and is still well despite battling the virus, however due to the extreme isolation, she is getting more confused and her short-term memory is failing.

She added: "Grandma didn't stop driving until a month before her 100th and she has been in a care home for one year and that's only because her mind writes cheques her body can't always cash.

"She fought off two burglars who broke onto her house in Hope when she was in her 90s.

"She has been a tremendous inspiration to me. I have a severely disabled child, and I had to go to court to get help. I live in Lincolnshire and despite the distance and the fact she was 99 it was her intention to come over here and chain herself to the railings outside the county offices to raise our plight. Although she did ask we waited until spring and could she have a seat."

Joan still volunteers in the bookshop along with her best friend Maggie Shaw who is also currently isolating due to being classed as vulnerable.

Alison said: "My mum and Dad are in isolation themselves as vulnerable.

"She (Joan) is also an accomplished poet. I am supposed to be sorting her first published book out.

"May 8 was VE Day and grandma was there in London in the celebrations. I have the flag she wore round her shoulders - it will be on display at our house as I can't be with her.

"She is not your typical granny. Though she does crochet. She loves owls, dogs (she has kept labs and collies herself) and says if she had a dog with her now she'd be fine, books, puzzles her IQ is very very high and steam trains. Most of all she likes talking to people."

Joan has already received cards from several countries around the world, a letter from her local MP and Erddig has also arranged a VE Day Cream Tea to be delivered from Cafe Cwtch.

Alison added: "Ashleigh Court have been wonderful in extremely difficult unprecedented circumstances."