Pupils at an East Sussex school are celebrating the return of some normality with the release of a charity single.

More than 40 families with children at Wivelsfield Primary School near Haywards Heath got involved in the project, alongside staff, while still learning at home.

Composed and edited by school music teacher Ashley Hards, “When The School Bell Rings Again” aims to raise funds for NHS Charities Together.

Image source, Wivelsfield Primary School

Singers of all age groups were joined by 14 members of Wivelsfield’s orchestra, playing instruments from saxophones and ukelele’s to glockenspiels.

Mr Hards said the song “helped the children to feel like they were doing something to help” and didn’t rule out the possibility of doing more charity songs and music videos in the future.

The church says inscriptions for two singers who both wore blackface caused "hurt and offence".

Image source, Drusillas

A popular animal park says it is due to reopen its zoo on 26 June after being shut due to the coronavirus lockdown.

Drusillas, based near Eastbourne, said it hopes all rides and play areas will also be open from 4 July.

Zoos were given the go-ahead by the government to reopen from 15 June, but Drusillas said it needed more time to train staff before it could open its gates again.

Cassie Poland, the park's deputy managing director, said: “We are really excited to be reopening and to finally have a date we can welcome visitors back to Drusillas.

"We have now had the official guidelines through, and we will open just the zoo initially.

"From Saturday 4 July, we anticipate being able to open all rides and play areas and are anxiously waiting for the government green light."

Drusillas is urging visitors to book tickets online before coming to visit the park.

Anyone who does not book a ticket online in advance will not be guaranteed entry, a park spokesman said.

Sarah Booker-Lewis
Local Democracy Reporter

Teaching staff at schools across Brighton and Hove will receive more training to deal with institutional racism and bias.

Members of the council’s Children, Young People and Skills Committee agreed to look at the training aimed at giving teachers “practical tools” to teach about racism, colonialism and global citizenship.

The decision came after a motion by Green councillor Hannah Clare and Labour councillor Kate Knight went before a “virtual” meeting of the committee yesterday.

Councillors said that they wanted teachers to have “practical tools” devised in collaboration with members of black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) communities.

They also asked Brighton and Hove City Council chief executive Geoff Raw to write to the Education Secretary and Shadow Education Secretary.

They want the government to embed BAME history in the curriculum and provide more financial support for training about race, prejudice and privilege.

Councillor Clare said that the joint motion to support the black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) communities in the city was “long overdue”.

She said that people had said “time and time again” that society was institutionally racist and early intervention was essential.

Starting to change the education system was a long process of chipping away at an unfair society, she told the committee.

Councillor Clare said: “We know that the BAME population in the city is highest among young people. So it’s really important for them that we get it right in the places they are which is currently in our schools.

“We want to help educate young people on the history of oppression that BAME communities have faced so they can face up to what it means now. We want to address persistent issues of bias.

“We want to make sure the experiences of our BAME communities are understood by all. This will work towards making our schools better for parents, students and staff.”

She said that government involvement was essential to make sure the “glossed over” history of oppression was changed.

Tourist attractions are making preparations in the hope they will soon be allowed to reopen.

A man who killed 15 people in a hostel fire in 2000 should be denied parole, a victim's father says.

Charlotte Wright
Reporter, BBC South East, in Brighton

The sun has been shining in Brighton today and with families out strolling through the streets, it almost feels like the city did pre-pandemic. Almost.

Shoppers have accessorised their summer shorts and t-shirts with masks hooked over their faces, while the pavement is littered with stickers and spray paint to enforce socially distant queues.

The high street chains have been the busiest, with queues round the corner at Primark and Sports Direct where I shot the video below.

It has felt a little quieter at the small independent boutiques in the city’s famous North Laine, but the staff there are feeling optimistic.

True to form - they’ve been adapting to the new restrictions in creative ways.

The owner of Beretun Designs on Bond Street has started hand-made masks to match the dresses she sells.

Linda Johnson told me she contracted coronavirus in March and the experience made her extra-cautious.

Today she was on hand to welcome shoppers and make sure they abide by social distancing while also offering hand sanitiser, masks and gloves.

Long queues snaked round the corner in Brighton as shoppers flocked back to Sports Direct as it reopened for the first time in three months.

BBC South East Today reporter Charlotte Wright tweeted , externala video showing the scale of the queue into the city centre store this afternoon.

Image source, Eddie Mitchell

Shoppers in Brighton have been queuing patiently to take advantage of the relaxation of lockdown rules for non-essential goods.

Scores of people joined the queue outside Primark in Western Road, which at one point stretched along the front and the full length of the side of the store in Marlborough Street.

There were markings on the pavement 2m apart outside the front of the store to help people, but as the queues extended more than 200m into the distance, shoppers had to work it out for themselves before even making it inside the store.

Inside, there were limits on the number of customers and advice on social distancing, as well as access to hand sanitiser.

Shops all over England have reopened for the first time since lockdown measures were introduced in March as the government relaxes the rules on the type of stores that can open.

Image source, Eddie Mitchell

This was the scene as shoppers headed out early to get into Sports Direct in Worthing, West Sussex, this morning.

A lengthy, socially-distanced queue formed outside the store in the seaside resort amid strict safety measures in high streets across the country.

Image source, Eddie Mitchell

Meanwhile, in Canterbury it was a similar picture, with large queues forming. Banners welcoming people back to the high street in the Kent cathedral city have been displayed.

It is thought 10,000 people joined a march through the city in support of Black Lives Matter.

The stunt was apparently filmed on the M23 between Gatwick and Crawley in West Sussex.

The gravestones of G H Elliott and Alice Banford, who both wore blackface, are now covered with boards.

Millie Robinson and Bayleigh Meadow were drinking and playing loud music at a friend's flat.

Mariam Issimdar
BBC News

Nursery chef Nicky Conticelli from Burgess Hill, Sussex is hoping to form a support bubble with her daughter Jade.

The 46-year-old said lockdown had been a difficult and lonely time for her.

"I'm a single mum and apart from my dog for company I found it hard, especially as I was off work until two weeks ago.

"I can actually get her here now and have her stay," she said.

Image source, Nicky Conticelli

With all non-essential shops being allowed to reopen in England on Monday, work is under way in Brighton and Hove to help ensure social distancing.

The city council tweeted , externalthat it is widening some footways, cycle lanes and erecting signs and banners to help people move safely around the city.

A city council spokesman said: "Creating more space for people to visit shops, particularly in narrower parts of the city like Old Town and The Lanes, is important to keep people safe and support businesses in those areas to reopen safely."

Six sites are to reopen this weekend after shutting during lockdown, with 45 due to follow in July.

The council is to ask a hotel to consider the "appropriateness" of its William Gladstone plaque.

The school in West Sussex does "not wish to be associated" with the Harry Potter author's views.

The receptacle had a bin-credible 450-mile journey after it was dumped into the sea in Worthing.