Leicester lockdown: 'Shocked' residents prepare for new restrictions

Non-essential shops in Leicester have closed suddenly as the government imposed the first local lockdown in the UK. Pubs and restaurants hoping to reopen at the weekend also have to delay plans for at least two weeks, while schools will be shut for most pupils. Health Secretary Matt Hancock said the city had '10% of all positive cases in the country over the past week', while the city mayor Sir Peter Soulsby urged people to 'stick together' as Leicester tackles a rise in confirmed coronavirus cases. Shoppers in the city centre had been enjoying a brief return to a sense of normality before the announcement and many were anticipating a visit to a pub or restaurant this weekend.