CALL the Midwife fans winced in horror tonight at a deeply disturbing scene showing a man losing his foot.
Episode three of the BBC1 medical drama saw Nancy befriending Bernard, a drug addict hooked on meth.
The local man later paid a visit to Nonnatus House in search of Nancy who reminded him of his own mother, but when she wasn’t there he turned down the chance to see Doctor Turner.
Realising how sick he really was Nancy, Doctor Turner and Fred went looking for Bernard.
They eventually found him slumped on the pavement and when Nancy reached to inspect his legs his rotting calf came off in her hand.
Doctor Turner confirmed Bernard had gangrene, caused by the methylated spirits, before the trio rushed him to hospital.
One viewer said: “HIS FOOT CAME OFF???? Omfg”
A second gasped: “Nancy is very calm considering his foot just came off in her hand. I’d be melting down”
Another penned: “Watching #CallTheMidwife and remembering about life as a student in the 80’s. I took a man’s homemade dressing off his foot to find 6inch toenails and maggots crawling everywhere. Poor soul, amputation next day”
The emotional scenes had other fans reaching for the tissues, with one adding: “Note to self: stop crying every time you watch Call The Midwife.”
Nancy is left devastated when Bernard dies, telling Sister Frances: “I’m the only person who’s crying for him in the whole world.”
The midwife said: “No, you aren’t” before hugging her.
The episode, set in the 1960s in London’s Poplar, highlighted the lack of facilities for people battling addictions at the time.
But it ended on councillor Violet vowing to set up a support system for people like Bernard.
Fans heaped praise on the drama for tackling difficult issues head on.
One person wrote: “@CallTheMidwife1 always hits the nail on the head perfectly. Topics from the 1960’s still as relevant today. That makes me cry as much as the superb storylines and acting.”
