Cheshire Police have issued 900 fines to those flouting pandemic restrictions since the start of the January lockdown.

Officers are urging residents to stick with the rules and stay at home as the country begins to gradually ease restrictions.

While schools reopen next Monday (8 March), the stay at home order remains in place until the end of the month of the month.

Assistant Chief Constable Jenny Sims said: "We're still at a critical stage of the pandemic which has seen more than 120,000 people lose their lives. Since the start of the January lockdown, officers in Cheshire have issued more than 900 FPNs.

"These fines have been issued for a range of blatant breaches, but we are continuing to see cases where people are visiting friends in other households, holding parties and travelling without reasonable excuse.

"It is really important that, although there is light at the end of the tunnel, we must continue to comply with the restrictions in place to keep infections down in a bid to move forward with each of the four steps that the Prime Minister outlined in his speech last week.

She added: "The rules are clear and our officers will continue to engage with the public and explain the rules in place but when they are met with blatant and repeat breaches they will not hesitate to enforce."