'Do your bit to stop virus' - police boss
A police boss has insisted slowing the spread is everyone's responsibility.
It was announced by Prime Minister Boris Johnson that a five-day festive reprieve in which families could mix would be slashed to Christmas Day only, causing fury and frustration as plans were left in tatters.
The late U-turn comes after a new mutant strain of the virus, which is 70 per cent more transmissible than the original Covid-19, was described as "out of control" by Health Secretary Matt Hancock.
John Campion, West Mercia police and crime commissioner said he was confident that people in Shropshire would do the right thing.
"It is very early days. Some of the operational parameters will be a matter for the chief constables," he said.
"We've just had the announcement so we should hear more in the next 24 hours.
"It is about personal responsibility. It's in our hands.
"We've all seen our lives change and I know people were looking forward to an extended period of relaxation.
"I have full confidence that the community will continue to make the right choices to protect the NHS.
"I think a lot of people had already heeded the advice and planned not to mix."
'Cheap jokes'
Telford & Wrekin Council leader Shaun Davies said it was another example of the government being slow with a major decision.
“My heart goes out to all families that have had their Christmas ruined by the announcement,” Councillor Davies said.
“It is another example of the Prime Minister being too late to respond, and he instead made cheap jokes and at the last minute was forced to change."
Shrewsbury MP Daniel Kawczynski said the PM had done his best to give the nation hope at Christmas, but insisted the decision had to be made to enforce harsher rules.
“With the vaccine coming down the road, and more and more people being vaccinated in the run up to Easter, now is not the time to be risking that," he added.
The new strain of the virus is also a factor in the rapid rise of cases in Wales, a minister has said.
Wales' health minister Vaughan Gething said the new variant was "effectively seeded" across the country.
He also said that the decision to place the country immediately into lockdown ahead of Christmas was due to the information that the new strain was leading to faster spread of the virus.
Mr Gething added: "Unfortunately our rates are around about 600 per 100,000, they are very high across the country with large concentrations in the south of Wales but also north-east Wales has been particularly affected as well."
