THE family of a much-loved and dedicated GP - who was the first doctor in the UK to die from Covid-19 - will say goodbye to him today, after being unable to have a funeral at the height of the pandemic.

Dr Syed Habib Zaidi, who worked at the Eastwood Group Practice, died at Southend Hospital on March 27, 2020.

The Leigh GP - renowned for his kindness and never had a day off nor retired - was the first doctor in the UK to die of the deadly virus.

Today, The British Medical Association is holding a memorial service at the association’s headquarters in London to remember doctors who died during the pandemic.

His daughter, Dr Zehra Zaidi, has welcomed the opportunity to say goodbye to her father, paying tribute to the “selfless” doctor.

Dr Zehra Zaidi said: “My dad would always help people. He was selfless in so many ways.

“He would go out on Christmas Day in the middle of Christmas dinner, and deliver someone’s baby, or he would go and see a sick child. People would stop him in a supermarket, or whilst out locally, all the time. I can remember one older lady saying thank you for fixing her knee, for example.

“He loved helping people and people genuinely loved him.”

Dr Zaidi was at work the day her father died, and was unable to visit him during his last moments as even family were not allowed into hospitals at that point.

She added: “We never had a funeral for my dad, as funerals were restricted; we buried him and we went home. So it means so much for our family to be able to mark his passing today. It’s been the first time we have all been able to say goodbye properly together.

“My dad worked really hard, probably to his detriment, because he was working until he died. He never had a day off, he never retired and he never got to do any of the things he should have done.

“He gave so much to the NHS.

“He was a great family man, a great family doctor and the most generous and loving individual I have ever known, constantly putting his own needs beneath those of others, and we all miss him immensely.”