Lockdown hair given to South Shields Covid-19 archive

Duncan from Jarrow was one of four people to donate the hair they grew during lockdowns to the museum

Four people have donated the hair they grew during the first lockdown to a museum's coronavirus archive.

Tyne and Wear Archives and Museums (TWAM) has amassed a selection of objects and pictures to "reflect everyday life in the time of Covid-19".

The lockdown locks were given to South Shields Museum and Art Gallery, which already houses author Catherine Cookson's plaits.

Other donations included diaries and pictures of NHS-celebrating rainbows.

Two men and two women have donated the hair they grew during the roughly 21 weeks of the first lockdown.

Adam Bell, assistant keeper of history at South Shields Museum and Art Gallery, said it was "unusual, quirky and dare I say a little bit weird" to collect hair, but the stories behind them should resonate with a lot of people.

"I was trying to think of how our lives were affected during the first lockdown and one thing that most of us were desperately looking forward to as restrictions were eased was having a proper haircut," he added.

Sue Cree donated the diary she kept during the pandemic

Kylea Little, keeper of history at TWAM said, it was "crucial" to record what happened during the coronavirus pandemic, adding: "We're building up a picture of our lives while living through a pandemic."

More than 1,000 people filled in surveys about their experiences during the pandemic, providing a "unique snapshot of an extremely unusual time", according to archives lead Lizzy Baker.

Supermarket signage for food shortages, road signage and lockdown birthday banners are also joining the museum's collections.