NEW restrictions on households mixing could soon be placed on residents in Northwich and Winsford after council chiefs lodged a formal request to the Government.

Cllr Louise Gittins, Cheshire West and Chester Council leader, has written to Health Secretary Matt Hancock calling on the Government to consider new restrictions for the borough.

If Government approves the request, households would be prevented from meeting up with other households in homes or gardens, in line with restrictions already seen in Warrington and Halton.

It comes as Cheshire West now appears on the Government's national watchlist as an area of concern for Covid-19 infection.

There is now a weekly infection rate of more than 60 per 100,000 population across Cheshire West, and this continues to rise.

Cllr Gittins said: "Concerning data indicates a rapid increase in infections and more vulnerable people being infected.  Many infections are being caused by households mixing.

"People are more comfortable in their own homes with family and friends, but people aren’t safe in those situations as the mixing of households is spreading the virus.

"Some who have Covid-19 do not have symptoms but could still pass it on to someone else who could go on to develop more lethal complications.

“We propose these decisive actions with a heavy heart. We recognise that further measures will have a negative impact on the wellbeing of many of the people affected by them, so they shouldn’t be considered lightly.

"But, by acting now rather than later, they would address some of the most frequent causes of transmission of Covid-19, by limiting the virus’s ability to pass between different households.

"Evidence from cases within our area suggests that, by limiting transmission in the wider community, this will then help take pressure off our schools, NHS, care settings and key workers."