Social gatherings of more than six people will be illegal in Southport and across England from Monday (14 September) following a steep rise in coronavirus cases in recent days.
There will be some exemptions to the new rules.
A law change will ban larger groups meeting anywhere socially indoors or outdoors, the Government said.
But it will not apply to schools, workplaces or Covid-secure weddings, funerals and organised team sports.
People who are caught breaking the new rules could be fined £100, which will double on each offence up to a maximum of £3,200.
Here in Sefton, there were 93 new cases of coronavirus diagnosed in the week between 30 August and 5 September, a rise of 56 from the previous week.
That means a rate of 34 cases per 100,000 people in the latest week of available figures, 30 August to 5 September. The average area in England had 14.
Total cases in Sefton up to 8 September was 1,792 with 295 coronavirus-related deaths registered up to 28 August.
Several exemptions apply to the new rules – which come into force on Monday 14 September – with households and support bubbles bigger than six people unaffected.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson is expected to give further details at a Downing Street news conference later today (Wednesday).
Previously, guidance in England allowed gatherings of up to six people from different households outdoors – or two households of any size, indoors or outdoors. But until now the police have had no powers to stop them unless they exceeded 30.
Do you have a story for Stand Up For Southport? Please message Andrew Brown via Facebook here or email me at: mediaandrewbrown@gmail.com
