Rainbows are appearing in windows across Wales amid the coronavirus crisis – here's why and how you can get involved

Everything may seem a little gloomy right now as the country grinds to a halt amid the coronavirus epidemic.

So to see pictures of rainbows cropping up in the windows of households in Wales is something to put the smiles on faces of people who can't see their family and friends as much as they'd like, if at all.

Whether they are self-isolating in homes across the road or just passing by, the rainbows are injecting a bit of colour into people's lives.

Those who have been able to get out and about in the Saturday sunshine have been capturing pictures of the paintings, which are appearing in neighbourhoods across the country.

St Francis Road in Whitchurch, Cardiff (Joanne Ridout)

Heol y Forlan in Whitchurch, Cardiff (Joanne Ridout)

York Street in Cardiff (Steffan Rhys)

York Street in Cardiff (Steffan Rhys)

With the schools now closed indefinitely, creating beautiful rainbows is just one way for children to keep themselves entertained.

And it's not only the residents of Wales who are getting creative, the rainbows are cropping up in the windows of homes across the world.

But what do they represent? The rainbows are a symbol of love and hope in uncertain times.

Cornerswell Road, Penarth (Abbie Wightwick)

Rhondda Street in Mount Pleasant, Swansea (Kate Willams)

A rainbow and banner reading 'Everything is going to be alright' hangs out of a window of an apartment in Rome (AP)

A rainbow and banner reading 'Everything is going to be alright' hangs on a balcony in Milan, Italy (AP)

And it's not just rainbows that are brightening up communities - there are messages thanking all those working tirelessly in the NHS to care for patients in such challenging circumstances, while others have also been marking Mothering Sunday, which takes place tomorrow (March 21).