Media playback is unsupported on your device

The UK's weekly applause for front-line workers tackling the coronavirus outbreak has "had its moment" and should end next Thursday, the woman behind it has suggested.

Annemarie Plas said it would be "beautiful" to end it after its 10th week, and make it an annual event.

She said the public had "shown our appreciation" and it was now up to ministers to "reward" key workers.

The government has said it is considering how best to do so.

People have been clapping from their doorways and windows since 26 March - three days after the UK went into lockdown.

Dutch-born Londoner Ms Plas, who is credited with starting the nationwide applause, told BBC Radio 2's Jeremy Vine show that it was inspired by similar events in the Netherlands and around the world.

But she said: "Because this is the ninth time - and next week will be 10 times - I think that [it] would be beautiful [for it] to be the end of the series."

"Maybe there [it should] stop and then move to an annual moment, because I also feel we're slowly shifting and other opinions [are] start to rise to the surface," she added.

"So I feel like this [has] had its moment and then we can adapt - let's continue to something else."

The applause has been called into question in recent weeks. Some NHS staff have said they felt "stabbed in the back" by people breaking lockdown guidelines to hold VE Day street parties or flock to the beach.

Others have suggested the NHS would benefit more from extra funding rather than applause, while Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has said many key workers are "overlooked and underpaid".

Ms Plas said she feels that people have shown key workers their appreciation and it is now the responsibility of "the people that are in power... to reward and give them the respect they deserve".