BRADFORD was plunged back into lockdown last night after the Government acted to avoid the imminent collapse of health services in the face of surging Covid infections.

Boris Johnson acted after the country's chief medical officers warned that without action there was a risk of the NHS “in several areas” being overwhelmed.

Addressing the nation this evening a grave Prime Minister said: "On December 29 more than 80,000 people tested positive across the UK - a new record.

"It's clear that we need to do more together to bring this new variant under control. In England we must go into a national lockdown that is tough enough."

People must stay at home as much as possible and will only be allowed out for limited reasons.

Primary schools, secondary schools and colleges will move to remote learning from today. Exams may not go ahead this summer as normal.

The Prime Minister said: "I completely understand the inconvenience and distress this late change will cause parents and pupils up and down the country. We have been doing everything in our power to keep schools open. The problem,is not that schools are unsafe for children. The problem is that schools may nonetheless act as vectors for transmission."

The measures are expected to stay in place until at least mid-February.

"The weeks ahead will be the hardest yet," warned Mr Johnson. "We must once again, stay at home, protect the NHS and save lives."

Earlier, in a stark warning, the UK's chief medical officers released a statement which said:“Cases are rising almost everywhere, in much of the country driven by the new more transmissible variant. We are not confident that the NHS can handle a further sustained rise in cases and without further action there is a material risk of the NHS in several areas being overwhelmed over the next 21 days.”

In a sign of the seriousness of the deteriorating situation Parliament has been recalled to debate the moves on Wednesday.