In pictures: Lockdown eases in parts of the UK

As lockdown rules ease in England, Wales and most of Scotland, millions of people can now socialise indoors in limited numbers, hug loved ones and visit pubs and restaurants inside again.

Some people couldn't wait for morning. Here, Rosie Delaney, Isobel Loan and Rebecca Mitchell have their first drink inside a pub for a long while, at 00:11, at the Showtime Bar, in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire.

At the The Oak Inn, in Coventry, West Midlands, customers enjoy a pint, a game of pool and a hug.

These changes come with a note of caution, with the variant identified in India spreading in some areas. "We must take this next step with a heavy dose of caution," Prime Minister Boris Johnson warns, urging people to be tested regularly.

For some, the changes mean a chance to exercise indoors. At Park Road Pools & Fitness in London, a group takes a high-energy barbell class, just after 00:00.

Housekeeper Zusanna Gulierrez prepares a room at the Brighton Metropole, as the Hilton group reopens its 130 hotels across England.

Passengers prepare to board an EasyJet flight to Faro, Portugal, at Gatwick Airport, after the ban on international leisure travel for people in England was lifted to some destinations.

The National Youth Choir of Scotland, with founder and conductor Christopher Bell, meet on Calton Hill, Edinburgh, as most of Scotland moves to level-two - high - restrictions, enabling up to 30 people to meet outside to sing.

The digital message: "Less URL, more IRL. Welcome back," is displayed on the BT Tower, above the streets of London.

Customers inside the Mile Castle pub, in Newcastle, enjoy breakfast as indoor hospitality and entertainment venues reopen.

At Barbarella's cafe, in London, a customer takes a selfie to mark the return to indoor dining.

Charlotte Griffiths, 25, and her three-year-old son are among the first people to visit the Great North Museum, in Newcastle, following its reopening.

A man wearing a face covering echoes the pose within Seurat's Bathers at Asnières painting inside the National Gallery, in London.

The first passengers board the London Eye, as the attraction reopens.

York Minster opens its doors once again to tourists.

It's eyes down for a full house at the Apollo Bingo Hall in the seaside resort of Rhyl, Denbighshire. It's an industry worth hundreds of millions of pounds a year in Wales, with 36 dedicated bingo halls across the country.

Fans gather to watch the runners and riders during the Racing TV Straight Mile Fillies' Handicap at Redcar Racecourse, North Yorkshire.

Sharks swim past visitors at the Sea Life London Aquarium.

A small crowd attends a screening of Ingmar Bergman's Persona in the BFI Southbank cinema in London.

Members of the Durham Strikes Bowling team enjoy a game at the Hollywood Bowling alley in Washington, County Durham.

As the evening drew in, people enjoyed drinks inside pubs and bars - such as this one in London - without having to sit outside on tables and chairs.

In Manchester's city centre, revellers danced in their seats to a live show at Albert's Schloss bar (above and below).

Also in Manchester, customers laughed together at Peaky Blinders bar.

• LOCKDOWN RULES: What are they and when will they end?

• SOCIAL DISTANCING: How can I meet my friend safely?

• QUARANTINE: Will I need to self-isolate in a hotel?

• NEW VARIANTS: How worried should we be?

• LOCKDOWN TIPS: Five ways to stay positive