Axminster county councillor Ian Hall has written an open statement to residents, calling for "individual and collective healing" as the area recovers from the pandemic.

The Conservative councillor – who represents Axminster and the surrounding villages of All Saints, Axmouth, Combpyne and Rousdon, Hawkchurch, Musbury and Uplyme at Devon County Council – praised the emergency services, medical practice and local councils, while asking people to show kindness as we return to normal life.

Cllr Hall himself suffered from COVID-19 during the pandemic and had to take some time off from his council duties to recover from long-term effects.

He said: "We are now all trying to readjust and return to some sort of normality after 25 months of hardship and huge disruptions in our lives that has literally effected everyone from the very young to the young at heart. 

"Our thoughts are with all those who have lost loved ones during this unprecedented time. 

"We now need to enable a time for individual and collective healing, be it mental or physical health, and re-engaging with our wonderful environment and getting people together again... getting the tender and natural human behaviours at the forefront of collective approach to one another.

"Our support services have been nothing short of incredible during this time, be it the medical practice or the police and fire authorities from our very local area or that of the parish, town, district or county authorities. 

"Please consider that 'people are people' no matter what they do, and all are trying their best to support you and yours. These kind people are like the majority of the population; at best tired and some are and continue to be exhausted. 

Please can we as a default remember to be both courteous and respectful at all times and especially during a period of healing as we need these people to be motivated in the mornings and need to ensure that they can sleep at night."