Real Madrid forward Gareth Bale and his wife Emma have donated nearly a million pounds to both Welsh and Spanish health services.

The Welsh international has given 500,000 euros to the health service in Spain and has donated an additional £500,000 to a Welsh health charity.

Bale has been on lockdown with his wife and their three children in Madrid since March 14.

He made the donation to the Cardiff and Vale Health University health board (CVUHB) and also made a video to thank all health workers for their work during the pandemic. It is understood he is making a similar payment to a hospital in Madrid.

He said in the video: “I just wanted to make this video to thank everybody in the NHS for all their hard work and sacrifice during this Covid-19 crisis.

“The University Hospital in Wales holds a special place in my heart. It is where I was born and it’s provided great support to my friends, my family and the wider community. So me and my family would like to show our support. Keep up the good work. You’re doing an amazing job and thank you very much.”

While CVUHB chief executive, Len Richards, said: “It’s so heartening to hear they have chosen to give something back to their local hospital to say thank you for the services both them, their family and friends have received and to recognise all the hard work the staff and all at our hospitals are doing at this very difficult time.

“Gestures like this are testament to the fantastic work that our clinical and support colleagues carry out every day.”