Summary

  • D-Day veteran dies after contracting coronavirus

  • Police given advice over enforcing social distancing

  • Health Secretary Matt Hancock 'on the mend' after contracting Covid-19

  • British Airways suspends all Gatwick flights

  • Food vouchers for free school meals children

  • Parking tickets for vulnerable shoppers criticised

  • Virus death consultant's brother pays tribute

  • Updates on Tuesday 31 March

  1. Thank you for joining uspublished at 19:00 British Summer Time 31 March 2020

    Matt Newsum
    BBC News

    Rainbow above a house in EssexImage source, BBC Weather Watchers

    That's all for us this evening - we hope you have found the information, stories and videos useful.

    Hopefully, the inspirational stories of people like 94-year-old Joy, who has fought off coronavirus and pneumonia and returned home, have given you a lift at this extraordinary time.

    Our rolling news service will return at 07:30 as we cover the latest impact coronavirus on life across England.

    Until then, stay safe and well. Good night.

  2. Reminder: How to wash your handspublished at 18:52 British Summer Time 31 March 2020

    Washing your hands properly is a key part of preventing the spread of coronavirus.

    Dr Adele McCormick, from the University of Westminster, demonstrates how to do it correctly - and it should take about 20 seconds.

    Media caption,

    Coronavirus: How to wash your hands - in 20 seconds

  3. 'Spider-Man' joggers send neighbours into a spinpublished at 18:43 British Summer Time 31 March 2020

    Two friends are delighting families in lockdown by dressing as Spider-Man on their daily run.

    Read More
  4. Comedian Vegas volunteers to deliver foodpublished at 18:32 British Summer Time 31 March 2020

    Comedian Johnny Vegas is one of several volunteers delivering food and other goods including medicines and essential items to vulnerable people in his hometown of St Helens.

    The combined efforts of St Helens Council, the Steve Prescott Foundation and other businesses, clubs and voluntary groups earned them a shout-out from Hollywood star Russell Crowe.

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  5. Giving blood counts as 'essential travel'published at 18:24 British Summer Time 31 March 2020

    The NHS is calling on people to continue giving blood during the lockdown.

    Donors are invited to attend as normal, unless they have travelled to a coronavirus-risk area or been in contact with - or infected by - the virus.

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  6. Man pays homage to hometown Watford in Legopublished at 18:13 British Summer Time 31 March 2020

    Lego WatfordImage source, Sean Power

    A Lego fan and his partner have recreated the high street of his hometown in the UK as a way to pass the time during lockdown.

    Sean Power, who ten years ago moved to Toronto in Canada from Watford in Hertfordshire, said he thought "well, why not", when he embarked upon his month-long quest to pay homage to the place where he grew up.

    Lego WatfordImage source, Sean Power

    He said he wanted to include "icons" and "lovely old buildings" from the town's main thoroughfare.

    "Jackson's jewellers, Clements and Monmouth House, and I think the flyover is a pretty unique feature... and we included the mini-market that's under it now."

    Lego WatfordImage source, Sean Power

    The 39-year-old said he had the idea while he and partner Amanda Thompson visited the town for his mother's birthday earlier this year.

    He hopes to visit again when the coronavirus crisis is over.

  7. 'Grandma didn't die alone thanks to nurse'published at 17:52 British Summer Time 31 March 2020

    Kim England-Godber with grandma Pauline WoodcockImage source, Kim England-Godber

    The family of a grandmother who had company in her final moments of life have thanked the "kind nurse" who comforted her.

    Pauline Woodcock, 85, was admitted to Milton Keynes Hospital on Sunday with breathing problems. She had been diagnosed with cancer late last year and was being tested for coronavirus before her death on Monday.

    Granddaughter Kim England-Godber, whose six-year-old son has leukaemia, could not visit to say goodbye while her family was in 12-week isolation and said she would be forever grateful to the nurse that stayed with her grandmother.

    "Hospitals are crazy, busy places, especially now - but she was there for us."

  8. Plant built just days ago begins hand gel productionpublished at 17:36 British Summer Time 31 March 2020

    Ineos hand gelImage source, Ineos

    A chemical firm has started producing hand sanitiser after building a plant near Middlesbrough in less than 10 days.

    Last week Ineos said the facility would help ease a worldwide shortage by producing up to a million pocket-sized bottles a month.

    It says the gel is being produced to World Health Organisation specifications.

    Ineos chairman Sir Jim Ratcliffe said: "I am confident that within a few days our sanitiser will start to be seen in hospitals, surgeries and people’s homes”.

  9. National League football suspended indefinitelypublished at 17:14 British Summer Time 31 March 2020

    Notts Coutny and Eastleigh playersImage source, Getty Images

    The three divisions of England's National League football have been suspended indefinitely because of coronavirus.

    The competition had been originally postponed until 3 April but that has now been extended following a board meeting on Tuesday.

    It comes after all non-league football in steps three to seven was ended immediately on Thursday, with no promotion or relegation.

    The National League said it was looking at "how best to conclude" the season.

  10. Clarissa, 6, collects Easter eggs for NHS staffpublished at 17:01 British Summer Time 31 March 2020

    Six-year-old Clarissa from Ashby-de-la-Zouch has collected more than 150 Easter eggs to give to hard-working NHS workers.

    The youngster collects the chocolates every year and has previously donated them to children in hospital.

    This year, she said doctors and nurses needed a special treat.

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  11. Police force admits it can't stop walkerspublished at 16:44 British Summer Time 31 March 2020

    peak districtImage source, Getty Images

    A police force criticised for filming Peak District hikers with a drone admits it is powerless to stop people from going walking in the countryside.

    Derbyshire Police was accused of "shaming" those who headed to the beauty spot amid a UK-wide lockdown.

    Chief constable Peter Goodman says it was "right that there is no power to stop people going walking in the country".

  12. Rainbows aren't just in windows...published at 16:28 British Summer Time 31 March 2020

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  13. Aldi, Morrisons, Waitrose and Asda lift some shopping limitspublished at 16:19 British Summer Time 31 March 2020

    shoppers in lockdownImage source, Getty Images

    Aldi, Morrisons, Waitrose and Asda are easing restrictions on some of their products which were imposed in the wake of stockpiling earlier this month.

    All the major supermarkets restricted customers to buying fixed amounts of individual items to keep shelves full.

    Aldi is now scrapping limits completely on all but a few items, while Morrisons, Waitrose and Asda have also removed some limits and changed others.

  14. Battersea rehomes 150 pets amid coronavirus crisispublished at 16:07 British Summer Time 31 March 2020

    Sarah Lee
    BBC London

    DogImage source, PA Media

    More than 150 Battersea dogs and cats found new homes last week amid this unprecedented health crisis.

    Battersea Cats and Dogs Home staff rehomed more than double the figures for the same week in 2019.

    Between 16 - 22 March, 86 dogs and 69 cats left Battersea for a new life with their owners. During the same week last year, 42 dogs and 29 cats found new homes.

    The centre has since stop accepting rescue animals due to the coronavirus outbreak.

    Battersea’s Head of Operations, Rob Young, said: “We want to thank all these new owners for thinking of rescue pets at such a challenging time."

  15. Grounded planes fill airport runwayspublished at 15:56 British Summer Time 31 March 2020

    Major airports around the UK have been left almost empty as demand for air travel plummeted during the coronavirus outbreak.

    Various travel bans have caused many airlines to massively scale back flights, resulting in abandoned terminal buildings and planes sitting on runways.

  16. The 'six metre garden marathon' runnerpublished at 15:44 British Summer Time 31 March 2020

    Matt Newsum
    BBC News

    Running a marathon is tough enough. It's 26.2 miles for starters. But, at least when you come to run in London, Paris, New York or Berlin for example, there's some interesting scenery.

    The same cannot be said for James Campbell, who will be pounding the six metres of his garden in Cheltenham for exactly that distance to raise money for the NHS.

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    Getting traction from elite runners such as Laura Weightman and Eilidh Child helped propel the number of retweets to more than double the required amount.

    Campbell has since set up a fundraising page to support the NHS, and put his hard work toward a good cause.

  17. Lost in the coronavirus fog?published at 15:33 British Summer Time 31 March 2020

    Three people who have been struggling to cope with the wealth of coverage -

    With so much information relating to coronavirus in the public domain, it's easy to feel overwhelmed.

    For some, the sheer volume of coverage, from TV to social media and even just conversation between friends, can be a trigger for anxiety.

    BBC Newsbeat has spoken with people struggling to cope and here are some tips from the World Health Organization to help avoid feeling swamped:

    • Avoid watching, reading or listening to news that could cause you to feel anxious or distressed
    • Seek information mainly to take practical steps to prepare your plans and protect yourself and loved ones
    • Seek information updates at specific times
    • Think about switching off or limiting what you listen, watch or read.
  18. Small stores keeping communities suppliedpublished at 15:20 British Summer Time 31 March 2020

    Bob Dale
    BBC Live reporter

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  19. Yoga poses to help while working at home 🙏🏻published at 15:08 British Summer Time 31 March 2020

    Stiff neck and shoulders from sitting hunched at your makeshift desk?

    BBC reporter and qualified yoga teacher Emily Ford shares some tips about how to stay stretched and sane over the coming months.

  20. Spurs' 550 non-playing staff take pay cutpublished at 14:59 British Summer Time 31 March 2020

    Thomas Mackintosh
    BBC London News

    Spurs stadiumImage source, Reuters

    Tottenham Hotspur chairman Daniel Levy has announced that all 550 people employed by the club in a non-playing capacity will take a 20% pay cut.

    The club will also use the government's furlough scheme in an attempt to "protect jobs" amid the coronavirus crisis.

    In a statement Levy said: "The club’s operations have effectively ceased, some of our fans will have lost their jobs and most will be worried about their future...

    "In the meantime, the club has an annual cost base running into hundreds of millions of pounds.

    "Yesterday, having already taken steps to reduce costs, we ourselves made the difficult decision – in order to protect jobs – to reduce the remuneration of all 550 non-playing directors and employees for April and May by 20 per cent utilising, where appropriate, the government’s furlough scheme.

    "We shall continue to review this position."