Greater Manchester and South Yorkshire are joining Liverpool and Lancashire in Tier 3, and a new study suggests Hartlepool, Nottingham, Bassetlaw and Sunderland could be next

Hartlepool, Nottingham, Bassetlaw and Sunderland are most at risk of being plunged into a stricter Tier 3 coronavirus lockdown, new analysis suggests.

They take the top five places in a study that aims to predict the areas that could soon be put under the Covid-19 lockdown tier with the harshest restrictions.

The top 10, compiled by the Covid Symptom Study app, is rounded out by Stockton-on-Tees, Darlington, Bradford, Gateshead and County Durham.

Greater Manchester moved into Tier 3, the highest alert level, on Friday morning, joining Lancashire and Liverpool City Region.

More than seven million people will be living under the toughest rules when South Yorkshire moves into Tier 3 lockdown at 12.01am on Saturday.