THOUSANDS of pounds has been raised in memory of a John Radcliffe porter who 'loved' his job after his death from suspected coronavirus.

UPDATE: £30,000 raises for families of JR porters

A GoFundMe page set up by Elbert Rico's daughter Carla has raised more than £12,000 in one day.

He is one of two porters who were confirmed today to have died at Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

On the page she wrote: "It is with great sadness to announce that my dad Elbert Rico has passed away today April 10, 2020 with suspected Covid-19.

"We are asking our dear friends and family to help us during this difficult time to help raise money for any funeral and further expenses that we may need."

She said he was a 'loving husband, father and friend' who was mainly known by Rico in his workplace and with close friends.

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She added: "He has been working as a porter in JR Hospital since he came to the UK in 2004 and loved the work that he did.

"He was always hard working and would prioritise other's needs firsts.

"He would walk around the hospital with a smile on his face and very rarely would he call in sick from work."

The family's initial aim was to raise at least £10,000 to help cover any expenses they may need.

More than 500 donations have already been made raising £12,565 since the page was set up yesterday.

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A second porter, also part of the Oxford Filipino community, has also died.

Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, in a statement this evening confirming the deaths, did not mention the cause but paid tribute to both men as 'popular and hard-working' staff who would be 'sorely missed'.