IT is hard to believe it is four years since the country was forced into lockdown by the rise of coronavirus.

It never really ended, so there was never a final day of the pandemic, life just carries on.

St Helens Star: Tied Asda trollies as part of the queuing system during covid

However on the fourth anniversary of the first lockdown we thought it would be good and important to reflect on how we lived through it. 

So today marks four years on from the initial lockdown on Monday, March 23, 2020 when Prime Minister Boris Johnson said people can only leave their homes for limited reasons, such as for buying food or medicine.

All non-essential stores were ordered to close as part of a nationwide effort to control the spread of coronavirus.

Here are the pictures taken at that time. 

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Even apart, people did all they could to bring joy to others; Rainford residents held a scarecrow competition and residents across St Helens and the country put rainbows in their windows to celebrate the NHS and show that no one was alone.

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The Star covered how the community rallied together, highlighted in a post below of just some of the front pages highlighting the true heart of our community. 

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March 23 is National Day of Reflection, it's important to remember what we lived through.

If you have pictures taken during the pandemic showing St Helens in lockdown, then please email them to news@sthelensstar.co.uk