Queue to see Queen reopens amid warnings of long waits and plunging night time temperature
The queue to see the Queen lying in state has reopened after being closed for more than seven hours – and those waiting have been told there is a wait of over 24 hours.
Entry to the line, which snakes through London, was stopped just before 10am after it hit capacity, with it stretching 4.9 miles long and having an estimated wait time of 14 hours.
The end of the queue reached Southwark Park, in Rotherhithe, in central South East London and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) originally said it would remain closed for six hours.
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As it announced the reopening, DCMS warned that temperatures overnight will be cold and entry to the line may be paused again if it reaches capacity.
Thousands of people have travelled to the capital over the last two days for a chance to pay their respects to Britain’s longest reigning monarch inside Westminster Hall.
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More than 400 people treated by paramedics
So far, ambulance teams have treated 435 members of the public along the route of the queue and surrounding areas.
Some 291 people received 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 taken to hospital.
The majority of incidents attended were faints and collapses, resulting in head injuries, the LAS added.
People have until 6.30am on Monday – the day of the Queen’s funeral – to pay their respects, with Westminster Hall open 24 hours a day until then.
Some famous faces have been spotted in the queue, including former England football captain David Beckham, who appeared to shed tears as he passed the monarch’s coffin.