The re-opening of "high risk" areas including skating rinks, casinos and bowling alleys has been delayed amid fears over a rise in the number of new coronavirus cases. 

The sector had been planned to re-open tomorrow but PM Boris Johnson has now put the brakes on the plans, which comes after the Office for National Statistics revealed the number of coronavirus cases had increased with 35,700 people currently infected with the bug.

Re-opening of the "high risk" sector will be examined again in two weeks' time, on August 15. 

Speaking minutes ago, the PM said: "We just cant afford to ignore this evidence. We are in a far better postion to keep the virus under control than we were at the start of the pandemic.

"But I won't stand by and let this virus cause more pain.

"The time has come to squeeze that brake pedal to keep virus under control."

The pausing of shielding advice will, however, go ahead as normal from tomorrow. 

Last night, about 4.5million Brits in the north of England were issued with fresh lockdown demands with just three hours' notice.

The government revealed at 9.16pm that households in Greater Manchester, parts of East Lancashire and parts of West Yorkshire were banned from meeting each other indoors from midnight last night.

The orders came as England was hit with 846 new positive cases yesterday – the highest number in 32 days – adding to fears the country is facing a second wave of the virus.