BREAKING: Tier 3: Whole of Hertfordshire placed in toughest measures including Hitchin

Health Secretary Matt Hancock has announced that the whole of Hertfordshire will be placed into the strictest level, Tier 3.

In Tier 3, pubs and restaurants can open until 6pm but can't serve alcohol.

Indoor leisure and entertainment venues, such as cinemas, will also close and non-essential travel in or out of the area not allowed.

Gyms will remain open but usage is restricted to individuals, and groups of people won't be allowed to attend.

Sports fans are not allowed to attend events in stadiums - which means Stevenage will not be hosting fans until the next government review, which will now be in early 2021.

Speaking in the House of Commons on Thursday lunchtime the Health Secretary said that in the UK, and across the world, coronavirus cases are rising once more.

"No one wants tougher restrictions any longer than neccessary," he said, adding that where they are required they will be put in place to help ease pressure on the National Health Service.

Hancock added that cases are up 46 per cent in the past week in the south-east of England and up by two-thirds in the east of England.

He confirmed that from 00:01 on Saturday, December 19 the following areas will be placed into tier three:

Bedfordshire

Buckinghamshire

Berkshire

Peterborough

The whole of Hertfordshire

Surrey, except Waverley

Hastings and Rother

Portsmouth, Gosport and Havant.

Hitchin MP Bim Afolami has admitted the move to Tier 3 is 'baffling'.

Speaking to exclusively to Nub News, Hitchin's parliamentarian, Mr Afolami explained: "I am extremely disappointed to receive the news that Hitchin and Harpenden, in line with the whole of Hertfordshire, will be moving into Tier 3."