Pleas to stay safe at home

of hand sanitiser plus thousands of face masks due for delivery.

The gesture, which was made on the condition of anonymity to avoid looking like he was exploiting the situation for adulation, was roundly applauded.

Lockdown has continued with many places of work shut except for those classed as essential and employing ‘key workers’.

Staff continue to work from home where possible.

However, following some controversy nationally surrounding the policing of lockdown, there appears to have been some discretion or loosening of the interpretation of the guidelines and legislation, with Runcorn police tweeting to a social media user that they could drive about five minutes to visit somewhere for exercise if there was nowhere suitable close to home, with the exact tweet saying: “If you have nowhere appropriate near your home, we would consider it acceptable if you drove a short distance (say five minutes away) to enable you to exercise.”

There was some relief for supermarket shoppers as stocks replenished, particularly for essentials such as toilet roll, although many had to endure long queues as stores enforced one-in oneout policies and residents adhered to the two-metre social distancing rule.

The North West Boroughs Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust launched a mental health helpline for any residents struggling amid the pandemic, and which can be called on 01925 275 309.

Halton Trading Standards has also warned that scammers have once again been trying to exploit the outbreak with bogus hand gel and face mask sales, and a fraudulent online voucher scheme.

Report scams to Trading Standards on 0151 511 8785 or 0151 511 8775.

The Government has advised the public to continue washing their hands to observe social distancing, only leaving home for essential trips.