Academics and technical staff at the University of Exeter have united to send protective equipment to support hospitals in their battle against COVID-19.

Thousands of items normally used in laboratories have been sent to the Royal Cornwall Hospitals Trust to help bolster vital supplies.

Hundreds of boxes of gloves, along with face masks, visors and other personal protective equipment (PPE) have been sent to the NHS frontline and local authorities, with Devon County Council and the Royal Devon and Exeter NHS Foundation Trust also being among the beneficiaries.

Physicist Dr Dave Phillips set up a database of more than 70 academics and worked with colleagues to coordinate supplies, totalling thousands of pieces of kit.

At the University of Exeter campus in Penryn Professor Will Gaze and Dr Adrian Watson coordinated a donation of more than 120 boxes of gloves alone, along with other items.

Dr Phillips said: “We’re all so thankful for the outstanding work from our doctors and healthcare workers in this international crisis. They’re doing an incredible job under such difficult circumstances, and we want to do whatever we can to help.

“This donation was a fairly obvious way we could offer support to the NHS by strengthening their supplies. I’m grateful to my colleagues who all wanted to send whatever they could to make a contribution for where it’s really needed.”

Professor Gaze said: “We were delighted to be able to do something to help our fantastic NHS colleagues. We’re the largest microbiology lab in Cornwall, so fortunately we were able to contribute significant amounts of equipment.”

The gesture comes as Public Health England has updated guidance on PPE to frontline healthcare staff, advising that clinicians working within two metres of a suspected or confirmed coronavirus COVID-19 patient should wear an apron, gloves, surgical mask and eye protection.

These first wave of supplies have now been delivered and further donations from the university are expected.