Queue for Queen's lying-in-state reopens after seven hours

The queue to see the Queen lying in state at Westminster Hall has reopened after entry was officially paused for seven hours, the government has said.

But mourners have been warned to expect waiting times of at least 19-and-a-half hours and cold overnight temperatures.

Despite the official statement people told the BBC they had managed to join the queue throughout the day.

The line is now about five miles (8km) long, stretching to Southwark Park in south-east London.

Thousands have paid their respects to the Queen, who is lying in state at Westminster until 06:30 BST on Monday.

A separate queue for people with accessibility needs has been paused until midday on Saturday, the government said.

The Department for Digital, Media, Culture and Sport (DCMS) had said entrance to the main queue had been paused around 10:00 this morning after it had grown on Thursday and overnight into Friday.

However, people locally said the park and entrance to the line were only closed for around 30 minutes, with another queue then forming outside the park before the gates were soon reopened.

At 17:05 the government announced that entry to the queue, at Southwark Park, had been resumed.

The government has said entry could be closed again should capacity be reached once more.

Regular updates are being published on Twitter, with a live queue tracker also available on YouTube.

The Met Office has said overnight temperatures were expected to be as low as 8C (46F) and the government has said warm clothing is recommended.

On Friday evening all entry slots had been allocated for the queue for people with accessibility needs, the DCMS said.

"For everyone's comfort, please do not attempt to join the accessible queue before midday tomorrow," the department said.

Earlier, Andrea, who is disabled and joined the queue with her mother, told BBC Radio 5 Live they had been abruptly told to "go home because we're not going to let anybody else through".

"We tried to speak to some of the stewards, and they were very nice but they just kept repeating the mantra that we had to return home and that they weren't going to let anybody else come in to get a timed slot," she said - adding she thought people had joined the line for people with accessibility needs after the closure of the main queue.

"I find it a bit ironic that the main queue is allowed to go on, it's just been temporarily suspended, but we've been told to go home and come back the next day - when we're disabled," she said.

The queue follows the south bank of the River Thames from the Palace of Westminster, through Lambeth, Southwark, and into Bermondsey.

One of those who did manage to make it onto it was former England footballer David Beckham who told the BBC he had waited for more than 12 hours to "celebrate the amazing life of our Queen".

He shared doughnuts and crisps with fellow mourners and posed for photographs while waiting in line, before bowing before the Queen's coffin once he had entered the hall.

London Ambulance Service said it had treated 435 members of the public along the queue route over the past two days, with 42 of those requiring hospital treatment.

The majority of incidents were faints and collapses resulting in head injuries, the service said.

Meanwhile, a man has appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court after two women were allegedly sexually assaulted in the queue to attend the Queen's lying-in-state.

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