Nottinghamshire has moved into the top tier of Covid-19 restrictions after an overall rise in infection rates.

Unlike some other tier three areas, betting shops, saunas, tattoo parlours and nail salons must close.

Alcohol cannot be sold after 21:00 GMT in shops, but can be sold until 22:00 if bought "in hospitality venues where accompanying a substantial meal".

The area moves into the highest category days before West Yorkshire joins the third tier.

From Monday, it will take the total number of people living in very high restrictions to just over 11 million - 19.6% of the population.

Nottinghamshire's director of public health Jonathan Gribbin said the infection rate in the over 60s had been "rising significantly" and was of "grave concern".

On Wednesday, 413 people across the county were being treated in hospital for Covid-19, which is 40% more than the highest figures seen during the first wave of the virus.

On Thursday evening, young people took to the streets of Nottingham in fancy dress before the new restrictions came into force.

Youngsters were seen posing for photographs and chanting near police vehicles in Market Square.

Nottinghamshire County Council leader Kay Cutts previously said police had asked for the ban on buying alcohol after 21:00 to stop students partying.

She said "young people don't think they are ever going to catch anything" when asked why the alcohol ban had been put in place.

"What we feared might happen, and what the police feared might happen is people would go to the pub, they'd have a meal and they'd have some drinks and come out and go straight to the off-licence and buy a bottle and go and continue their partying elsewhere," she said.

Ms Cutts said the county could follow tier three restrictions for 28 days, and appealed to people "to crack down as hard as we can now" so residents "can have a more normal Christmas".

"But it will depend entirely on the trajectory of the virus," she said.

The new rules mean:

• Residents must not socialise with anyone outside their household or support bubble in any indoor setting - including homes and private gardens - or at most outdoor hospitality venues
• People must not socialise in a group of more than six in an outdoor public space, such as parks
• Pubs and bars that do not serve substantial meals as a restaurant must close
• Residents are advised to avoid travelling outside the area, unless for essential journeys, such as work or caring responsibilities
• Auction houses, car boot sales, betting shops, saunas and tattoo parlours must close
• Hotels, gyms and leisure centres can remain open

All areas of Nottinghamshire have seen a significant rise in infection rates, except for Nottingham.

At one point the city had the highest infection rate in the country with 834.2 cases per 100,000 people, but this has now reduced to 436.2.

Initially only south Nottinghamshire was due to move into tier three, but the government expanded the area to the whole of the county on earlier this week.

Mr Gribbin added: "Nottinghamshire's got rates which are rising really quickly, that's been driving a lot of the disruption we've been seeing in our hospitals."

Across all of the hospitals trusts that serve Nottinghamshire 64 people have died of Covid-19 in the seven days up to 25 October, a significant increase compared to 38 deaths the previous week.

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