Visitors urged not to travel to Scarborough as virus cases rise

Leaders have pleaded for "visitors not to come to the borough at the moment"

Scarborough Council has urged people not to travel to the area as coronavirus rates continue to rise.

The North Yorkshire seaside resort's infection rate is at 565.5 per 100,000 population for the week to 9 November. In the previous week it was 209.6.

Bosses said the virus was "spreading in the community with no single cause".

MP for Scarborough and Whitby Robert Goodwill asked everyone to "comply" with lockdown rules after 100 people gathered at a wake in his constituency.

Scarborough Council Leader Steve Siddons: "We must not blame visitors. They are not the single reason for the rise in cases"

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS), Scarborough Council Leader Steve Siddons and the authority's chief executive, Mike Greene, both pleaded for everyone "to pull together" in stopping the spread of the virus.

In a joint message, they said: "We are asking visitors not to come to the borough at the moment.

"They must follow the government guidance, stay at home and exercise locally.

"We will work closely with local businesses to welcome them back when it is safe to do so.

"Until then, we must not blame visitors. They are not the single reason for the rise in cases. The responsibility to stay at home lies with each and every one of us."

The borough also includes Staithes, Whitby, Filey and Hunmanby

They said half of new cases in the borough, which includes Whitby, Filey, Hunmanby and surrounding villages, were connected to "high-risk settings" such as care homes, schools, workplaces, hospitality and visitor outlets.

According to figures from Public Health England, Scarborough has the seventh highest rate of new cases in England, while Hull, which is about 45 miles away, tops the table for worst in the country.

Speaking to the BBC, Mr Goodwill added: "If we're in a private setting where we can't be seen that doesn't mean we can start mixing with people who could be spreading the disease."

Follow BBC Yorkshire on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Send your story ideas to [e-mail] or send video here.