WARRINGTON has been placed in tier 4 under the toughest coronavirus restrictions.

The move was confirmed by Health Secretary Matt Hancock in the House of Commons this afternoon, Wednesday.

The town was previously placed in tier 3 during the last tier review announced on December 23.

But harsher measures will now be enforced from one minute past midnight tomorrow morning, Thursday, in order to limit the spread of Covid-19.

Warrington will join other north west areas including Cumbria, Cheshire, Greater Manchester, Lancashire, Blackpool and Blackburn and Darwen in tier 4.

Parts of the midlands, north east south west have also been escalated into the toughest tier.

Mr Hancock said: “We must act to suppress the virus now, not least because the new variant makes the time between now and then even more difficult.

“And so whilst we have the good news of the vaccine today, we also have to take some difficult decisions.

“The NHS is under significant pressure and we can see the impact it is having. The threat to life is real, as is the pressures on the NHS

“Sharply rising cases and the hospitalisations that follow demonstrate the need to act where the virus is spreading.

“Unfortunately, this new variant is now spreading across most of England and cases are doubling fast.

“It is therefore necessary to apply tier 4 measures to a wider area, including the remaining parts of the south east, as well as large parts of the midlands, the north west, the north east and the south west.”