Covid-19 tiers: Norfolk moves to tier 4 from 26 December

All areas of Norfolk have seen an increase in coronavirus cases

Norfolk will move into England's tier four of coronavirus restrictions.

The county, currently in tier two, will be in tier four from 00:01 GMT on 26 December, the government announced.

The further restrictions include a ban on travelling in or out of tier four. People can meet one-to-one outside.

All areas of the county have seen an increase in cases to the week 18 December, with the infection rate for Norfolk at 191 per people 100,000. The rate for England is 317 per 100,000.

Under tier four restrictions, indoor entertainment venues, hairdressers, barbers and all non-essential shops must close

Health secretary Matthew Hancock, MP for West Suffolk, said East Anglia had seen a "significant number of the new variant" of Covid-19 and cases had risen "sharply".

He said: "It is therefore necessary to put more of the east and south-east of England into tier four."

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Ben Jay, general manager of the Great Yarmouth Hippodrome, said he was "devastated" that it would be forced to cancel 34 performances of its Christmas Spectacular circus - which started on 12 December - as a result of the new restrictions.

"It's heart-breaking, it really is heart-breaking because we know there were thousands more people who wanted to come to see the show," he said.

"But we are still pleased we got on for the people who have been able to see it so far."

Great Yarmouth Hippodrome general manager Ben Jay, pictured here in the summer, said he was "devastated" to cancel shows as a result of the restrictions

He said the circus had five sell-out shows left before the tier four restrictions came into effect and was going to "make the most of it".

"We will be back next year," he added.

What are the new restrictions in tier four?

The restrictions are similar to the last national lockdown and include:

• Residents should stay at home, unless they have a "reasonable excuse" such as work or education

• All non-essential shops must close

• Hairdressers and nail bars must close

• Indoor entertainment venues must close

• Gyms and indoor swimming pools, indoor sports courts and dance studios must close

• You cannot meet other people indoors, unless you live with them or they are part of your support bubble

• People should not leave tier four areas or travel abroad, except for limited reasons (including work and education)

• Weddings and civil partnership ceremonies are only allowed in exceptional circumstances

"Clinically extremely vulnerable" people in tier four areas are advised to stay at home "as much as possible". The government says if they cannot work from home, they should not go to work.

What can you do in tier four?

Activities still allowed include:

• Meeting one other person from another household in an open public space, if you are both alone

• Shopping for essentials such as food and medicine

• Outdoor pools, playgrounds, sports courts, golf courses and horse riding centres can open

• You can leave home for work, education, training, childcare and for medical appointments and emergencies

• Communal religious worship

• Support bubbles are still allowed and children can move between separated parents