Town is facing closure

BLACKBURN could be the next area going back into lockdown as it faces a “rising tide” of cases.

Yesterday residents in the Lancashire town were banned from visiting each other in groups of more than two.

They have also been told not to shake hands or hug, and advised to wear face coverings in all enclosed public spaces.

The measures will last for the next month after 61 new Covid-19 cases sprang up in a week.

Dominic Harrison, director of public health for Blackburn with Darwen, said a lockdown similar to Leicester is “a real possibility”.

The spike has been blamed on “household clustering”.