9 photos which show South Tyneside's first Coronavirus lockdown four years on

This weekend marks four years since the first Covid lockdown.

What were you doing four years ago?

It may seem like a bland question, but it has now been four years since Coronavirus started to majorly impact all of our lives.

Back in March 2020, cases were rising and by Monday, March 16 Prime Minister Boris Johnson told the public it was "the time to stop non-essential contact and travel" although far more stringent rules were introduced a matter of days later.

Fast forward to Monday, March 23 of the same year and Johnson announced lockdown measures for the UK, ordering people to stay at home.

Lockdown measures legally came into force just three days later.

Four years have now passed since the initial rules were introduced, meaning non essential shops were also forced to close.

It would only be the following June that these shops could reopen while schools entered a phased return, but restrictions would return in September.

Take a look at these photos from the first few weeks of lockdown across South Tyneside.