Prime Minister Boris Johnson has promised that the 'end really is in sight' as he revealed the route out of lockdown.

It's been a long 12 months for many up and down the country including Hitchin and north Herts, but the PM announced a four step plan to exit lockdown.

Speaking in the House of Commons on Monday afternoon Mr Johnson detailed the road back to normality for us all.

Read Hitchin Nub News for our handy guide that explains what comes next.

..............

Step one comes in two parts:

On Monday, March 8:

All students will return to schools and colleges, and school clubs can resume

Secondary school students will be required to wear masks in class as well as communal areas

People can meet one other person outside for recreation, not just exercise

Care home residents allowed one regular named visitor

Stay at home order remains in place.

29 March

No overseas travel

The government's stay at home order will end but people will be encouraged to stay local wherever they can

People are still expected to work from home wherever possible

However, outdoor gatherings of up to six people or two households allowed, including meeting in private gardens

Organised outdoor sports can resume

Outdoor sports facilities such as tennis and basketball courts and outdoor swimming pools allowed to reopen.

Step Two

From April 12

Once the Easter school holidays are ended, non-essential retail, including hairdressers and beauty salons, can reopen

Libraries, museums, zoos, theme parks and gyms can open - but no indoor mixing of different households allowed

Outdoor hospitality can reopen, including pubs and restaurants - with the rule of six or a larger group from two households

Customers will not have to buy a substantial meal to have an alcoholic drink and there will be no curfew but people will have to be seated when ordering and eating or drinking

Self-catering holidays in the UK with your own household will be allowed

Funerals of up to 30 people, wakes of up to 15 people.

Step 3

From 17 May

Outdoors, most social contact rules will be lifted, but gatherings of more than 30 will be illegal

Indoors, the rule of six or a larger group of up to two households will be allowed

Indoor hospitality - pubs, restaurants, cinemas, theatres, concert halls, children play areas, hotels, B&Bs, indoor exercise classes - will be allowed

Large indoor performances and sporting events with a capacity of 1,000 people will be allowed

Outdoor large performances and sporting events will have a maximum capacity of 4,000 people or must only be half full, whichever is lower

Bigger sports stadiums will be allowed 10,000 people or can only be a quarter full, whichever is lower

Testing will be used to support these openings

Weddings, wedding receptions, wakes, funerals and christenings will be allowed with 30 people.

Step Four

All legal limits on social contact removed

Plans to reopen nightclubs and lift restrictions on large events such as festivals - with testing possibly used as a condition of entry

Ministers hope to remove restrictions on weddings