Part of Cumbria will move into 'Tier 2' of Covid-19 restrictions on Saturday, banning the mixing of households indoors.

It was announced today that Barrow is set to move into the higher Level 2 category from midnight on Saturday, amid a frightening rise in the borough's infection rate that has placed it in the top 15 areas in England for new Covid-19 cases.

The area is currently recording 200 new cases per 100,000 people per week, and 54 patients with Covid-19 are currently in Furness General Hospital.

The imposition of stricter lockdown measures by the Government means that from Saturday, it will be illegal for households to mix in an indoor setting.

Pubs and restaurants are allowed to stay open, but mixing of households is not allowed inside, and the 10pm curfew remains in place for all venues.

The introduction of tighter legal restrictions on households mixing was called for last week by Cumbria County Council, which made a public request for the Government to put the restrictions in place in a bid to curb rising infection rates across the borough.