Among the tributes to the NHS are pieces of painted stonework, like the owl pictured here in the Burnt Woman’s Plantation near Saffron Walden.

A notice near the work says: “Please look for our stones for the NHS”.

Carole King who saw the artwork on a walk told the Reporter: “In these difficult and worrying times we find ourselves in, we all need something to make us smile.

“As we took our daily permitted, socially distanced, walk through Burnt Woman’s Plantation the other morning, we were enchanted by the stone art that has appeared there in support of the NHS.

“Hidden in plain sight are stones painted with all manner of animals and birds as well as other subjects and it gave us great pleasure to discover as many of them as we could as we walked.

“I would like to thank the anonymous artists for the pleasure they are giving as it’s quite a talking point, from a two metre distance, among the regular exercisers. Please may they continue with their crafting and sharing it with us all.”