A KARAOKE DJ for three Bolton pubs is making coronavirus lockdown a little easier by taking his work online.

Jeff Robby can normally be found in the pub at weekends, splitting his nights between the Bowling Green on Bury Road, Harwood's White Horse, or Bolton Castle.

The tattoo artist has a lot of time on his hands now that pubs have closed to slow the spread of COVID-19, and decided to move his work online to continue spreading joy.

He said: "I know how much of an impact music can have, I go singing for the elderly people in Breightmet and the change is amazing.

"I meant to do this for the local community and get everyone involved – I know a lot of my locals who come into the pubs when I work would love this – but it's just gone mad.

"I've had people get in touch to tell me that the group is helping with their anxiety and depression and that'll do me that – it must be really hard suffering with that at this moment in time."

The group was created on March 26, and has more than 26,000 members from around the world.

Thousands of posts have been made, with people recording their singing, and boosting each other's spirits during the difficult situation.

Jeff has also launched a fundraiser for the NHS staff, hoping to raise £10,000.

This isn't his first time raising money for a good cause, as inking bees onto people at his tattoo shop, Skin City, raised over £15,000 after the 2017 Manchester bombing.

Jeff personally tattooed Olivia Campbell-Hardy's family, putting a bee over the hearts of mum Charlotte Campbell and step-dad Paul Hodgson in her memory.

He split the money raised between the official Manchester Tattoo Appeal, and Olivia's family, who were good friends of his.

Jeff added: "I love fundraising, and I did a lot of work with the bee fund.

"I'll keep going and earning as much as I can.

"There are 25,000 people on the group, and if everyone gave just £1 that would be a lot of money for our NHS.

"I know times are hard though, and people are losing jobs or having their wages cut so £1600 is still very good.

"If people can donate, that'd be fantastic, but if not they're still welcome in the group – the more the merrier."