KNUTSFORD and Wilmslow residents are being urged to keep working together in the battle against coronavirus.

Following an increase in coronavirus cases over the past month, both Cheshire East and West are classed as Tier 2 ‘high risk’ areas.

This means residents cannot socialise with anyone from outside their household in any indoor setting, while the ‘rule of six’ applies outdoors.

Cheshire Police says that residents are following the rules by and large – although it has taken action against more than 20 individuals and businesses that have flouted the new rules.

Assistant Chief Constable Jenny Sims said: “I understand that there are lots of changes for people to take in and I want to reassure residents that we will continue to support them to navigate the measures in place. 

“Our officers have been out and about helping to explain the rules and to ensure people are following them, and this work will continue. 

“To support this, we have also introduced a new dedicated team of officers whose role is specifically to respond to incidents involving possible breaches of the coronavirus legislation.

“The vast majority are sticking to the rules and this is really encouraging. However, we do need people to continue to take personal responsibility and make sure they are fully aware of the rules that apply to them in the area they live and ensure they stick to them.”

While most of Cheshire is currently Tier 2, Halton has the same Tier 3 restrictions as Merseyside as it is classed as a ‘very high risk’ area, while Warrington also looks set to join the higher level.

Since the new rules have come in, Cheshire Police has issued a care worker a £200 fine for failing to isolate and continuing to work following a trip to Romania.

A pub landlord in Warrington was also handed a £1,000 fine after chairs were found too close together, and three people from different households were issued £200 for socialising together at a house in Runcorn.

“Where people are blatantly breaching them we will not hesitate to take action,” Ass Chf Con Sims added.

“The rules are there for a reason – to keep us all safe – and we all need to play our part to protect our family, our friends, the communities we live in and, most importantly, the NHS.”

Anyone looking to report a breach of coronavirus rules can do so on the Cheshire Police website.

Further information on the Covid restrictions can be found at gov.uk/coronavirus