Plans to relax pandemic restrictions over the festive period have been cut down and limited to Christmas day itself in Cheshire East.

Originally, up to three households were to be allowed to mix for five days between 22 and 27 December.

Boris Johnson also announced that travel to London, the south-east and the east of England is banned altogether as those regions are plunged into new tier 4 restrictions from midnight, similar to the national lockdown in March.

The prime minister said the new variant, while not believed to be more deadly, does transmit much faster.

Announcing the new restrictions, Mr Johnson told a Downing Street briefing: "I know how disappointing this will be, but we have said throughout this pandemic that we must and we will be guided by the science.

"When the science changes, we must change our response. When the virus changes its methods of attack we must change our method of defence and as your prime minister I sincerely believe there is no alternative open to me."