Parts of West Yorkshire to get stricter lockdown measures as households 'not abiding to social distancing'

People from different households in Greater Manchester, parts of East Lancashire and parts of West Yorkshire are banned from meeting each other indoors from midnight tonight as part of "immediate action" to keep people safe.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock said Bradford, Calderdale and Kirklees will be affected.

Households in these areas will be banned from meeting each other indoors from midnight tonight in a bid to reduce coronavirus case numbers.

Announcing the measures, Mr Hancock said: "We've been working with local leaders across the region, and today I chaired a meeting of the Local Action Gold Committee.

"Based on the data, we decided that in Greater Manchester, parts of West Yorkshire & East Lancashire we need to take immediate action to keep people safe.

"The spread is largely due to households meeting and not abiding to social distancing. So from midnight tonight, people from different households will not be allowed to meet each other indoors in these areas.

"We take this action with a heavy heart, but we can see increasing rates of Covid across Europe and are determined to do whatever is necessary to keep people safe."

The new restrictions apply to the whole of Greater Manchester, parts of East Lancashire including Blackburn with Darwen, Burnley, Hyndburn, Pendle, Rossendale and parts of West Yorkshire including Bradford, Calderdale and Kirklees.

The same restrictions will also apply to Leicester, which saw the first so-called "local lockdown" imposed on June 29.