THOUSANDS of shoppers have returned to high streets across the region as non-essential shops reopen for the first time in four weeks.

Shoppers were seen lined outside fashion and homeware stores, including Primark, in Newcastle, Middlesbrough and Darlington from 7am.

The second national lockdown officially came to an end at midnight as the North-East was plunged under Tier 3 restrictions.

It means that while non-essential shops can reopen, pubs, restaurants and cafes must remain shut, except for takeaway.

READ MORE: Primark Metrocentre is opening for 24 hours - and here's when

This was the scene in Newcastle City Centre this morning as large queues snaked on Northumberland Street, Grainger Street and in Eldon Square.

The Northern Echo: Picture: NORTH NEWS AND PICTURESPicture: NORTH NEWS AND PICTURES

The Northern Echo: Picture: NORTH NEWS AND PICTURESPicture: NORTH NEWS AND PICTURES

The Northern Echo: Picture: NORTH NEWS AND PICTURESPicture: NORTH NEWS AND PICTURES

The Northern Echo: Picture: NORTH NEWS AND PICTURESPicture: NORTH NEWS AND PICTURES

The Northern Echo: Picture: NORTH NEWS AND PICTURESPicture: NORTH NEWS AND PICTURES

The Northern Echo: Picture: NORTH NEWS AND PICTURESPicture: NORTH NEWS AND PICTURES

The Northern Echo: Picture: NORTH NEWS AND PICTURESPicture: NORTH NEWS AND PICTURES

As before, when shops reopened following the first lockdown, many have implemented measures to limit the number of people entering shops, as well as enforcing social distancing rules, setting up hand sanitiser stations and carrying out more frequent deep cleaning.

Helen Dickinson, chief executive of the British Retail Consortium, said: “Thousands of retailers are looking forward to welcoming back customers.

“Safety remains the biggest priority for retailers, who have spent hundreds of millions to make stores Covid-secure.

“With billions in sales lost during lockdown, stores are looking to offer a safe and enjoyable shopping experience to bring back customers.

“Christmas is around the corner so everyone has a reason to be visiting their local shops.

“Every purchase we make is a retailer helped, a job protected and a local community supported.”

The Northern Echo:

Debenhams experienced a surge in visits to its website on Tuesday evening “to unprecedented levels” as it urged customers to be patient while it deals with demand.

It comes amid a high street bloodbath, with the jobs of around 25,000 staff at Arcadia and Debenhams hanging in the balance.

Some 13,000 staff at Sir Philip Green’s Arcadia Group face an anxious wait following the business collapsing into administration, and Debenhams, which is already in administration, said it would start a liquidation process after JD Sports confirmed it had pulled out of a possible rescue.

The department store has around 12,000 staff.

Were you out and about today? Send us your pics by emailing jim.scott@newsquest.co.uk