Warrington will be the latest part of England to move into Tier 3 restrictions after the council agreed a deal with the government. The council will receive £5.9 million in additional funding from the government to support businesses and test and trace.

• Hospitals in hard hit areas treating more Covid patients than during first wave
• Knowsley surpasses Nottingham as England's Covid-19 hotspot
• Normal Christmas 'extreme wishful thinking' without 'radical action'