Watch heartwarming moment Wakefield key workers surprise children after 74 days apart

Two of Wakefield's key workers have shared a video of the moment they were reunited with their children after 74 days apart.
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Steven and Leigh Hudson are both working on the frontline of the coronavirus pandemic, and in March were forced to take the difficult decision to be separated from their daughters.

Caitlin, 8, and Cassie, 14, were sent to live with their granny in Normanton, where they have remained ever since.

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Steven said: "It was very, very hard. The house has been empty, it's just silent.

The Hudson family have been reunited after more than 70 days apart due to the coronavirus pandemic.The Hudson family have been reunited after more than 70 days apart due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The Hudson family have been reunited after more than 70 days apart due to the coronavirus pandemic.

"Myself and my wife work in the NHS, I work for the Yorkshire Ambulance Service and my wife works at a GP surgery. Hers was one of the surgeries chosen to be a Covid unit.

"Our two girls are 14 and 8 and we didn't want to put them at risk. My wife's mum was at home and she agreed she'd look after the children with her partner.

"It was hard, don't get me wrong, but I'd rather spend a little time away from them now to protect the rest of their lives. We made that decision and the girls went to go live with my wife's mum.

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"We still kept in contact through FaceTime and saw them from the garden. And credit to the girls, they've had a big change in their live but they've handled it really well.

The Hudsons are pictured at their last dinner before they were separated and (right), after their surprise reunion.The Hudsons are pictured at their last dinner before they were separated and (right), after their surprise reunion.
The Hudsons are pictured at their last dinner before they were separated and (right), after their surprise reunion.

"They've had one to one time with their granny. My youngest hasn't been at school and granny's been at home tutoring her and taught her so much, it's unbelievable.

"Granny's been able to do so much with them, more than we could have done because we were working as well. In a sense it was the right decision and the best decision."

But this weekend, after more than 70 days apart, Steven and Leigh decided it was time to bring their daughters home, and engineered a surprise reunion.

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As Caitlin and Cassie prepared for a trip to the park, their parents arrived, and snuck up to surprise the girls as they sat in the car.

The reunion, which coincided with Steven's birthday weekend, was captured on video,

Steven said: "It was the best birthday present ever, it was absolutely fantastic.

"The reason we made the decision and thought it was time to get them back is because the cases are dropping and they've shut down the Covid centre at my wife's surgery. We thought it was the best time to get them back.

"It's been 74 days since they last slept in their own beds, 74 days since we had our arms around them. Emotional is an understatement!"

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