BEAR NECESSITIES: York's best face masks in pictures

This big fella is greeting customers at Stonegate Teddy Bears in York - wearing a face mask, of course!

Zoe Holborn from the shop at 13 Stonegate sent us the photo after seeing our call out for readers to send in their face masks.

She said: "We've got our big fella all prepared for the new normal with his PPE. We thought of a name: Pawsome PPE."

The store is open from 11am to 4pm.

Heidi Fox

Heidi Fox, from Fulford Road, York, has been making masks during lockdown from her guesthouse, Moorgarth, in Fulford Road (where she has also been making free butties for NHS workers). She made this mask from a pair of old denims. She said: "This mask was made by cutting up an old pair of jeans! Anything will do, I've even made some out of old curtains and duvet covers! The trickiest bit is getting hold of elastic! Everywhere has run out!"

Anne Rylatt with husband Matt

Anne Rylatt sent in this photo of her and her husband Matt. She said: "I started by making face coverings for my immediate family. I then 'advertised' my services to friends and family through Facebook and further orders have come through word of mouth.

"I've made 79 so far, including for people in Birmingham, London, Edinburgh, Witney, Cambridge and Wakefield as well as York.

"In exchange I asked for a donation to St Nicks, the green living charity off Hull Road, where I am an eco-crafter.

"The result is everyone wins: I get to do a craft I enjoy, with a real purpose behind it and using up offcuts of material; the recipient gets a face covering which will help protect against the virus, and St Nicks benefits from the donations."

Gazz Hughes

Gazz Hughes, from Cawood, made his mask from an old T-shirt at the start of lockdown. He said: "I thought if people are going to stare at the mask I might as well make a cool looking one which features the 80s-inspired design from Synthwave band Gunship. Three months later I'm not sticking out quite so much."

Jess Young

Jess Young, from Rawcliffe, said: "I found a website selling silly prints by artists so had to get some. Got to try to persuade my partner to wear them now!" The masks are from Redbubble.

Emma Bowen, with Daphne and Fynn, from Huntington, said: "We got these made from our friend Liz Rhodes, who runs her own alterations business. The kids are loving theirs and cannot wait to show their friends."

Joseph Thornton

Here's little Joseph Thornton, aged five, from York, making his own face masks with a sewing machine.