The queue to see Queen Elizabeth II lying in state has reopened this evening (Friday) with a 24-hour wait for mourners. Admission to the queue had been paused for six hours earlier in the day after it reached capacity.
The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) tweeted at 5.05pm: "Entry to the queue has resumed.
"Expected queuing time is over 24 hours and overnight temperatures will be cold. The queue may be paused again if it reaches capacity."
According to the Met Office, temperatures in Central London tonight may drop as low as 9C tonight. Earlier on Friday, a queue formed to join the original queue after the official line was temporarily closed in Southwark Park.
The Mirror reported that hundreds of people continued to join the line in Southwark Park despite the government warning. One queue attendant said they had yet to receive any instructions to close the gate and stop any more people from joining.
A Number 10 spokeswoman directed questions to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport, but it was “the case that what DCMS have done is they’ve temporarily paused the queue for at least six hours after it reached maximum capacity. That has always been part of our planning and that is to make sure as many people as possible in the queue can enter the Palace of Westminster."
Ambulance teams have announced that they have treated 435 members of the public along the route of the queue over the past two days. Some 291 people along the route of the queue and nearby in London were given medical assistance on Wednesday, with 17 needing hospital treatment, London Ambulance Service (LAS) said.
A further 144 people were treated on Thursday, with 25 people being taken to hospital. The LAS said the majority of incidents attended were faints and collapses, resulting in head injuries.
To pay your own tribute to Queen Elizabeth, click here.
