Residents are being urged by Cheshire Police to continue to stay at home ahead of the first phase of relaxation of coronavirus lockdown restrictions next month.

On Monday 22 February, Prime Minister Boris Johnson outlined a four-step road map, with strict conditions, for gradually lifting coronavirus restrictions throughout spring and summer.

The first step, on Monday 8 March, will see schools and colleges reopen and allow the public to take part in recreation or exercise outdoors with their own household or one other person outside their household.

As we move to the next stage of our fight against coronavirus officers in Cheshire will continue to provide support to the public and local businesses with our approach of engage and explain but will move to enforce when there are blatant and repeat breaches.

However, for the time being, residents must continue to stay at home to protect their families and friends and to reduce the spread of the virus.

Assistant Chief Constable Jenny Sims said: "We're still at a critical stage of the pandemic which has seen more than 120,000 people lose their lives. Since the start of the January lockdown, officers in Cheshire have issued more than 900 FPNs.

"These fines have been issued for a range of blatant breaches, but we are continuing to see cases where people are visiting friends in other households, holding parties and travelling without reasonable excuse.

"It is really important that, although there is light at the end of the tunnel, we must continue to comply with the restrictions in place to keep infections down in a bid to move forward with each of the four steps that the Prime Minister outlined in his speech last week.

"The rules are clear and our officers will continue to engage with the public and explain the rules in place but when they are met with blatant and repeat breaches they will not hesitate to enforce.

"Our dedicated coronavirus patrols will continue to support the majority of Cheshire residents sticking to the rules and will not hesitate to take enforcement action against the small minority who choose to ignore this.

"I would urge you all to continue with your efforts in staying at home and only leaving for limited exceptions."