Health Secretary Matt Hancock said there were positive signs the actions taken were working.

Sandish Shoker
BBC News

A fruit and vegetable stall owner has said people in Leicester "have had enough" in light of the latest lockdown measures announced for the city.

Scott Frake, who runs stalls across the city and county, said people who have been isolated for more than 17 weeks are struggling.

"I feel sorry for the older generation that have done this for so long and they haven't left the house," he added.

"Some have told me they're coming out and would rather take the risk than stay at home any longer. They've had enough."

He said the decision to keep Oadby and Wigston in the lockdown zone was "crazy".

"You speak to people in Oadby and they say they shouldn't be in the lockdown area," he said. "They don't see why that's happened when other areas nearby like Syston haven't been."

Amy Woodfield
BBC News

People living in Leicester's Nether Hall and Highfields areas will be offered a coronavirus test at their door on Friday.

Door-to-door testing started in the city last week - the first such move in the UK.

Image source, Leicester City Council

Leicester City Council said it will also be delivering home testing kits in Troon and Rushey Mead on Friday and Saturday.

The authority advised anyone who is offered a test to accept it.

Sandish Shoker
BBC News

Restaurant owner Dharmesh Lakhani says the news today was "expected" but he still feels sad for the city's residents.

"Everybody has been making an effort, they have been staying at home the last two weeks, they have done what was asked of them and now they are going to be punished further," he said.

"But I can't see an end to this. We have not been told of a timescale or how lockdown will ease."

Mr Lakhani, who runs Bobby's on Belgrave Road, has been open for takeaways but said their business has been running at a loss since May.

"We are definitely making a four-figure loss a week so it is a worry for us," he added.

"Most of my staff are still furloughed until 1 August and then we need to decide whether to keep them on or let them go."

He said if restaurants and the rest of Leicester's hospitality industry were to stay shut into August, businesses would struggle to recover.

Amy Woodfield
BBC News

The leader of Oadby and Wigston Borough Council has called the area's continued inclusion in the local lockdown "a complete slap in the face" to its residents.

John Boyce said he was "extremely disappointed" in county council leader Nick Rushton for apparently recommending the restrictions remained in the borough.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock told the Commons Mr Rushton advised him the lockdown should only apply to Oadby and Wigston and the city of Leicester, advice he "accepted".

Image source, Google

Addressing Mr Rushton, Mr Boyce said: "It was stated you advised them to remove all other areas of the county out of lockdown and explicitly excluded Oadby and Wigston.

"You did not have the good manners to talk to me or communicate your advice.

"This is a complete slap in the face to the residents of this borough."

Image source, PA Media

Mr Boyce has also written to Mr Hancock asking him to reconsider his decision "immediately".

He said: "The borough is in a better position regarding Covid than some of the areas you released today.

"If you release them so you should release us."

Earlier, Mr Rushton said Oadby and Wigston remains a "hot spot", with the authority urging people in the borough to get tested for Covid-19 whether they have symptoms or not.

"I know everyone in Oadby and Wigston will be disappointed they are not coming out of lockdown yet, but it is so far above the national average for cases that we have to remain cautious," Mr Rushton added.

Alex Smith
BBC News Online

In his statement earlier this evening, Health Secretary Matt Hancock paid tribute to the residents of Leicester and Leicestershire for adhering to the local lockdown rules.

"Your perseverance and hard work has brought real, tangible results, and you've shown respect for one another," he said.

"I understand this hasn't been easy."

Mr Hancock said the seven-day infection rate in Leicester is now 119 cases per 100,000 people and the percentage of people testing positive is now at 4.8%.

He said the rate was 135 and 10% of tests were positive when the local lockdown was imposed.

He added: "Please do not lose your resolve because the sooner we get this virus under control, the sooner we can restore life in Leicester and across the country to normal."

Sandish Shoker
BBC News

A Leicester barber said it is "heartbreaking" his shop will still not be able to open.

"I'm really angry and bitter," Blake Edwards, who runs Flappers and Gentlemen in the city, said.

"It is so heartbreaking the whole of the city has to suffer when the data shows the areas where the spike is.

"I have very up and down emotions. While this needs to be done and we want everyone to be safe, with another two weeks we need some financial support."

While non-essential shops may be able to reopen in areas, pubs, restaurants and hairdressers will remain closed.

Mr Edwards says this extended closure will have a huge impact on his business.

"I fear customers won't come back when I do reopen. People will go elsewhere, closer to where they are, somewhere cheaper," he said.

"It's really serious for us now. Leicester will be in a dark place if we don't sort this out soon."

Amy Woodfield
BBC News

The East Midlands Chamber of Commerce - which represents businesses in the region - has called for the lockdown in Leicester to be more selective to include just the areas with the most coronavirus cases.

Chief executive Scott Knowles said: "The government has rightly identified areas of the county that have experienced a less severe outbreak and removed them from the lockdown area, and there's no reason why this same logic can't be applied to those wards in the city of Leicester where infection rates are also at, or below, the national average."

Image source, Getty Images

Mr Knowles said spikes in infection were only impacting "a very small part of Leicester" and as a result, businesses and people have been "unnecessarily impacted".

He is calling on the government to give additional financial support to those businesses that still cannot open.

He said: "For bars, restaurants, cafés, hairdressers and others, there remains no light at the end of the tunnel.

“All of this underlines the need for additional financial support from the government to those affected.

"This must come in the form of grants, as opposed to debt that just stores up problems for further down the line."

Alex Smith
BBC News Online

Here is a summary of the measures announced by the government this evening, due to come into effect from 24 July:

• The city of Leicester and the Oadby and Wigston area will stay in lockdown
• Restrictions on schools and nurseries will be lifted
• The hospitality sector will stay under lockdown
• A new local power will be used to close shops selling non-essential items where necessary
• Restrictions on non-essential travel and only having social gatherings of up to six people will remain

Health Secretary Matt Hancock said these measures will be reviewed in two weeks.

Image source, EPA

PA Media

A Leicester woman with incurable cancer said she feels "frustrated" with the continuing lockdown in the city.

Michelle Teale, 58, has stage four breast cancer which is "treatable but not curable", putting her in the shielding group for Covid-19.

She has not seen her 85-year-old mother (pictured with her), who lives more than 100 miles away, for more than 20 weeks.

They had been planning a reunion when the city first went into lockdown.

Image source, PA Media

Ms Teale told the PA news agency: "Each week that goes by is another week taken away from me.

"It's frustrating. And yet again, he never said anything about shielding people. We seem to be the forgotten people and that's what I find so frustrating, we are the last people to get mentioned."

Sandish Shoker
BBC News

Shadow health secretary Jonathan Ashworth has called on Matt Hancock to ensure people in Leicester who have booked holidays during the "Leicester fortnight" - the two weeks where the area's schools break up earlier than others across the country - are reimbursed now they are unable to leave the lockdown zone.

Mr Hancock said while schools in the city have "effectively risen for the summer", he would "urge holiday companies to reimburse people in Leicester who might have booked a holiday" for this period.

Image source, Getty Images

PA Media

Leicester's Labour mayor Sir Peter Soulsby has reacted to the government announcement by accusing Mr Hancock of a politically-motivated attempt to penalise the city and its economy.

Commenting to media gathered at Leicester's City Hall, Sir Peter said: "What they have chosen to do now is not to focus on the areas of the city where the virus is and where we actually need to be putting our attention.

"They have chosen to focus on the city geographical area - effectively the area of the county that votes Labour, and that's just scandalous.

"If they were going to alter the boundary, they should have gone down to the area that they now know where the virus is.

"They have left two areas in there - one that has a Liberal Democrat council, the other that has a Labour mayor.

"I am determined of course to continue to focus on what the data now does tell us - to continue to focus in the neighbourhoods, the streets, the households, where we now know there is the virus."

Amy Woodfield
BBC News

New figures showing the cumulative lab-confirmed cases rate for Leicester and each district in Leicestershire have been released by the county council.

• Oadby and Wigston - 758.9
• North West Leicestershire - 312.4
• Melton - 309.2
• Hinckley and Bosworth - 476.8
• Harborough - 409.7
• Charnwood - 436.9
• Blaby - 494.9
• Leicester - 1249.7

Here are how these figures compare on a wider scale:

• England - 449.3
• East Midlands - 463.1
• Leicestershire - 446.8

Image source, PA Media

Amy Woodfield
BBC News

The MP for Leicester East has called the continued lockdown in the city of Leicester "disappointing".

Her Labour colleague Liz Kendall said she would continue to push for extra support for businesses affected.

The Leicester West MP has criticised the government's handling of the situation, saying decisions were not shared promptly, leaving businesses and residents confused.

Meanwhile, the Conservative MP for Harborough, Neil O'Brien, tweeted, external: "Good to have shops & childcare open."

He added he had lobbied for Oadby and Wigston - the only county area to remain subject to stricter rules - to be "fully out" but said officials were concerned over infection rates there.

Alex Smith
BBC News Online

Matt Hancock said he has accepted the recommendations of county council leader Nick Rushton to only keep the city of Leicester and Oadby and Wigston under stricter measures.

The health secretary said this advice was "based on the data and the best public health advice".

A new lockdown boundary zone has since been drawn up by the authority.

Image source, Leicestershire County Council

Mr Rushton said: "I'm pleased that the Secretary of State has listened to concerns and agreed to change the boundary and we are awaiting clarification from the Department for Health and Social Care about the timing of the boundary change.

"Oadby and Wigston remains a hot spot and that's why we’re asking people in part of the borough to get tested, whether they have symptoms or not.

"I know everyone in Oadby and Wigston will be disappointed they are not coming out of lockdown yet, but it is so far above the national average for cases that we have to remain cautious. I understand why they have campaigned vigorously not to be in lockdown and I hope that the current improvements will bring that closer."

Amy Woodfield
BBC News

The health secretary said coronavirus testing in Leicester had doubled since the start of the local lockdown.

The seven-day infection rate in the city is now 119 cases per 100,000 people

Matt Hancock called the latest figures "positive indicators" but said the number of cases remains "well above the national average".

Image source, PA Media

Amy Woodfield
BBC News

Health Secretary Matt Hancock told the Commons that from 24 July, restrictions on schools and nurseries will be lifted and a new local power will be used to close shops selling non-essential items where necessary.

Bars and restaurants in the city will still not be allowed to open, with the rules due to be reviewed in two weeks.

Image source, PA Media

Some lockdown measures in Leicester will be partially relaxed, the health secretary announces.

Amy Woodfield
BBC News

A stricter lockdown in Leicester will be eased after a drop in coronavirus cases, the government has said.

A prolonged lockdown was announced on 29 June after a spike in cases in the city.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock told the House of Commons some restrictions would be lifted from 24 July "but not all".

He said virus rates in the city "still remain well above the national average and the average for surrounding areas".

Image source, Getty Images

David Pittam
BBC News Online

A list of the wards in Oadby and Wigston with the highest levels of positive coronavirus cases has been released.

It comes shortly before Health Secretary Matt Hancock is expected to update the public on whether Leicester's lockdown will be eased.

Last week it was revealed Oadby and Wigston had the highest rates of coronavirus, external (712 per 100,000 people) in Leicestershire, apart from Leicester itself.

Today the council announced the following wards have the highest levels:

• Oadby Brockshill Ward
• Oadby St Peters Ward
• Oadby Grange Ward
• Wigston St Wolstan’s Ward
• Wigston Meadowcourt Ward
• Wigston Fields Ward