The Papers: \'Trace against time\' as thousands flock to beaches

Newspaper headlines: 'Trace against time' as thousands flock to beaches

By BBC News Staff
Image caption Many of Thursday's front pages carry photos of people flocking to Britain's beaches as the government set a 10-day target to track 10,000 new cases of coronavirus a day by June. "Trace against time," the Daily Mirror calls it, as the paper says the busy scenes sparked "fears about mixing and spreading".
Image caption The Daily Mail says government advisers insist the virus tracing system must be in place before any restrictions can be lifted. Devon and Cornwall Police said roads in some resorts were gridlocked, despite the force asking families to stay away, the paper reports.
Image caption The Daily Telegraph says one of the country's biggest teachers' unions, the National Education Union, described the prime minister's virus-tracing pledge as "real progress" but warned many English primary schools would still see their planned partial reopening on 1 June as premature.
Image caption With a slightly different angle, the i says Britons could be allowed to take breaks in the UK if there is no second spike in Covid-19 cases. It says No 10's plan for easing the lockdown would see holiday homes, campsites and hotels reopen from the start of July.
Image caption The Daily Express leads on reports that Health Secretary Matt Hancock is promising a new "war on obesity" after figures showed a link to coronavirus deaths. The paper says the prime minister is leading by example as it features a photo of him in workout gear.
Image caption The Times splashes on the fall in hospital admissions for those with coronavirus. It says the figure has dropped below 10,000 for the first time since the start of the lockdown.
Image caption The Metro leads on the story of a Syrian refugee who is working on the frontline as a hospital cleaner. The paper says he "forced the government into an abrupt U-turn" after posting an emotional video message asking Boris Johnson not to throw his family out of the country if he died from Covid-19.
Image caption The Sun leads on a story about comedian Steve Coogan furloughing his gardener and housekeeper. "Knowing me, furloughing you, aha!" the paper puns, in reference to one of his most successful characters, Alan Partridge.
Image caption The Financial Times reports the Bank of England is considering introducing negative interest rates for the first time in its 324-year history in a bid to help stimulate an economic recovery. The paper says doing so would be a "powerful signal" that companies should spend rather than face charges to hold money on deposit in banks.
Image caption "Call the frying squad," says the Daily Star as it reports on a police officer being banned from every force in Britain after stealing seven fry-ups from the canteen in his first week of work.