Christmas is cancelled for Hitchin and our county after PM Boris Johnson placed our area into Tier 4.

Hitchin and Herts will enter a strict new lockdown at midnight tonight as millions of people have now been forced to cancel their Christmas plans at the last minute.

Families in our town will not be able to mix with any other households on Christmas Day, and should not leave their home except for specific reasons.

On the day large parts of the UK moved into Tier 3, the PM announced he would create a new level - Tier 4, meaning non-essential retail and leisure facilities will be forced to close.

The new rules similar to last month's second lockdown of 2020 - with people ordered to stay at home until December 30 at the earliest.

The rules will be enacted at one minute past midnight on Sunday morning - leaving many frustrated after having to scrap festive plans only a matter of days before families could have met on Christmas Day.

The rest of the UK that is still in Tiers 1-3 will be allowed to mix with up to three other households on Christmas Day.