Britons take to streets to Clap for our Carers – but will it be the last one?

Britons have stood on balconies, doorsteps and sidewalks for the tenth week to applaud key workers on the frontline against the coronavirus pandemic.

But it could also have marked the last display of the weekly ritual that honours those putting their lives at risk fighting COVID-19.

The woman who founded Clap for our Carers has said she is stopping now it has "carried us through the peak of the crisis".

Annemarie Plas, a 36-year-old Londoner, who was inspired by an idea from her native Netherlands, hopes its legacy will be to secure a living wage for Britain's lowest paid workers.

She also said she would like to see it become an annual event on the last Thursday in March each year.

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Clap for our Carers first took place on 26 March and quickly took off, with Prime Minister Boris Johnson and members of the royal family taking part.

The campaign was originally to show praise for NHS staff but was later extended to many other key workers, including care home staff, teachers, supermarket workers and delivery drivers.

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News channels have been broadcasting the applause live from around the country as millions of Britons paused to applause care workers at 8pm each Thursday.

But Ms Plas said she felt the movement had become "politicised".

Critics have argued the gesture deflects attention from government failings in providing testing and protective equipment to NHS workers.

There has also been criticism as some people broke social distancing to take part.