Speaking to Good Morning Britain from his home in Cumbria, public health expert, John Ashton said regional and local lockdowns would be more effective than a national lockdown.

He said the first lockdown wouldn't have been necessary if we had a proper test, trace and isolate in place.

Professor Ashton appeared on the TV show this morning and was quizzed on his thoughts regarding a local lockdown, this comes as Professor Chris Whitty is to address the nation this morning regarding the coronavirus pandemic.

Professor Ashton said: "It is a desperate situation we are staring in the face. It feels like Groundhog day, it feels like the beginning of March all over again.

"We could have just locked down parts on the country in the first round of this because the virus initially was concentrated in the home counties and into the Midlands, not in the south-west not up the east coast, not in the north east but we locked down everywhere.

"We ought to be aiming to do local and regional lockdowns."