RESIDENTS in sheltered housing have been treated to a socially distant concert in their garden.

Tenants at The Dene in Rottingdean, who are all over 60, have been isolating in their rooms to protect themselves and each other from the coronavirus.

But residents were able to take a break from isolation on Wednesday after staff arranged for Chris Nieto, lead singer of Brighton’s country music band The Diablos, to play live on the lawn.

Kevin Turner, housing services director of the Teachers’ Housing Association which owns the housing scheme, said: “As our tenants are confined to their rooms at the moment, Chris kindly agreed to play in the garden for free.

The Argus:

“Everyone really loved it.

“The staff even came in this morning to find a big ‘thank you’ banner and gifts from tenants.

“One of the tenants’ family members said they had not stopped talking about it since.”

Some of the residents at The Dene, which provides housing and a full meals service to its 27 residents, were able to sit and watch the garden concert through their windows.

Staff set up chairs for other residents at a two-metre distance from each other on the lawn so they could enjoy the music.

The Argus:

Kevin said: “The staff loved it too.

“It’s quite a strange place at the moment and feels quite lifeless a lot of the time as residents are all in their rooms.

“Normally they would have meals together in the communal dining room but staff have been bringing food to their rooms.

“It’s been really hard for the residents and tough on the staff too.

“So everyone at the house was really excited by the concert.”

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