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Covid: Cornwall visitors urged to 'make their way home'

BBC Holiday makers in St IvesBBC
Cornwall had been in tier one until Boxing Day, but has now been moved to tier three from midnight

Holidaymakers are being urged to "make their way home as soon as possible" as Cornwall is placed into tier three coronavirus restrictions from midnight.

Cornwall Council has issued guidance that also says people "should not be making plans to visit" while the restrictions are in place.

Julian German, leader of the council, said "cases have been rising rapidly and everyone now needs to step up".

People are also asked to stay at home to celebrate New Year's Eve.

'A joke'

Usually towns including St Ives, Newquay, Looe, Padstow and Truro, are popular destinations on New Year's Eve.

Rachel Wigglesworth, director of public health for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, said: "With no planned events happening we would urge our residents not to gather in the usual places and celebrate at home wherever they can."

Tier three guidance includes the closure of pubs and restaurants, and people cannot meet those from other households socially indoors or outdoors.

However, people can see friends and family they do not live with, or do not have a support bubble with, in some outdoor public places, in a group of up to six.

The Isles of Scilly is now the only part of England that is in tier one.

Matthew Brend, from Brend Hotels, which has 11 establishments in Cornwall and Devon, has criticised the decision to announce the changes at short notice, calling it "a joke".

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Steve Double, MP for Newquay and St Austell, said: "When you look at the very rapid increase in the number of cases we have seen in Cornwall over the last couple of weeks, it is not a big surprise.

"It's clear this new variant of the virus is much stronger and spreads more easily and quickly."

He added he "wouldn't be at all surprised" to see a national lockdown introduced in the coming weeks.