'Blackburn is going to get stronger from this'

A community worker has encouraged people in Blackburn to "stay strong" as they face extra restrictions following a spike in coronavirus infections.

The rise in cases centres on terraced houses with high numbers of occupants, the local authority has said, adding most new cases were in the south Asian community.

For the next month, the 148,000 residents of the Lancashire borough have been told to observe the new rules in a bid to avoid a Leicester-style lockdown.

Community worker Sam Ali said locals had been "amazing" in how they had united since lockdown first started in March, but there had been a "massive increase" in requests for meals from those in hardship.