Westminster Hall floor damaged by 250,000 mourners who visited Queen's lying-in-state

The floor in Westminster Hall has been damaged after thousands paid their respects while the Queen was lying-in-state.

An estimated 250,000 people filed through the hall to see the monarch's coffin back in September.

Carpet had been used at stages to reduce the impact of those walking past, but some areas have been worn down to bare stone.

A House of Lords spokesman said: "As a consequence of the high-level continuous footfall through Westminster Hall during the lying-in-state some delamination to the Yorkstone floor has occurred.

"It has exposed some areas of bare stone that will blend in with the surrounding areas over time. This does not present a structural risk."

Westminster Hall represents one of the oldest remaining parts of the Palace of Westminster, the origins of which date back some 900 years.

At its longest, the line of mourners stretched from parliament along the south bank of the Thames and past Tower Bridge.

At one point there was even a queue for the queue, after entry to the official public line was temporarily paused.

The Queen was finally laid to rest with her husband the Duke of Edinburgh during a private evening burial service attended just by close family at Windsor Castle.

The state funeral at Westminster Abbey was attended by dignitaries including hundreds of heads of state, and with London full with mourners the event called for the largest policing operation undertaken by the Metropolitan Police.

Among the 2,000-strong congregation at the abbey were foreign royalty, leading figures from UK life and world leaders including US President Joe Biden and French President Emmanuel Macron.

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