Coronavirus: Tyne and Wear Museums group collects rainbow pictures

Six-year-old Isaac and two-year-old Theo created a rainbow in Cleadon

Pictures of rainbows created to thank the NHS during the Covid-19 pandemic have been amassed by archivists.

The rainbow has become a symbol of hope during the outbreak with people putting pictures in their windows to bring cheer to communities in lockdown.

Tyne and Wear Archives and Museums issued a public appeal for donations of pictures which will become a permanent part of the group's collections.

More than 40 have been submitted so far.

Ann in South Shields knitted a rainbow doll while Cheryl in Gateshead re-decorated her window

Images of rainbow creations from the boroughs of Newcastle, Gateshead, North and South Tyneside were offered to the history team.

Kylea Little, keeper of history at the archives, said: "We'll be collecting most the digital pictures and, when it's safe to do so, a selection of the actual rainbows from people who are keeping them for us, to become a permanent part of the museum collection."

Charlie and Toby from Denton Burn fashioned a rainbow from lanterns

"They will be used to tell the story of our collective experience to future generations," she added.

"Collecting objects and stories is an important part of our role especially in a time of crisis, to illustrate to those in the future what the people of Tyneside are living through now."

Cora and Jasper from South Shields made a literary rainbow from their library

Iris, Flynn and Claire put up posters in the window of their home in Wallsend

Jack, Evie and Craig fashioned a rainbow from their hands in their Whitley Bay window

Jessica, 12, and Amelia, eight, transformed their window in Hebburn

Joanna in South Shields crocheted her rainbow

Lucy, Alexander and Eleanor took to the road in Wideopen to show their creativity

Luke in South Shields made an egg-related NHS scene