In Pictures: In pictures: Coronavirus suspension leaves famous stadiums standing empty

Top-level English and Scottish football was suspended until April 3 at the earliest on Friday due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The Football Association, the Premier League, the English Football League, FA Women's Super League and FA Women's Championship all agreed to call a halt to competitive action with immediate effect.

With numerous other sporting events cancelled, postponed or set to go ahead behind closed doors worldwide, here, the PA news agency takes a look at the scenes as empty stadia stand like ghost towns.

Newcatstle's St James' Park — A view through gates at St James' Park which was originally due to hold Saturday's Premier League match with Sheffield United (Owen Humphreys/PA)

Watford's Vicarage Road — Vicarage Road, home of Watford, remains empty after the match with Leicester was off (Jonathan Brady/PA)

Contrasting views at Bournemouth's Vitality Stadium in September 2019 (top) and March 14 (PA Wire/PA Images)

Villa Park stood empty on Saturday, March 14 (Nick Potts/PA)

Empty bookmakers joints at Dundalk Stadium, which ran behind closed doors on Friday (PA Wire/PA Images)

Manchester City's Etihad Stadium — Manchester City's match against Burnley at the Etihad Stadium was postponed (Jon Super/AP)

Empty programme stand outside the AMEX Stadium — A closed programme stand outside Brighton's AMEX Stadium (Gareth Fuller/PA)

Wolves and Olympiacos line up — Wolves' Europa League clash at Olympiacos was played behind closed doors (Thanassis Stavrakis/AP)

No one in sight at St James' Park (Owen Humphreys/PA)

Sassuolo v Brescia — The empty Mapei stadium as Sassuolo's Serie A match with Brescia was closed to fans (Massimo Paolone/AP)

Borussia Monchengladbach v Cologne — Empty stands as Borussia Monchengladbach hosted Cologne (Martin MeissnerAP)