WARRINGTON experienced the fourth highest week-on-week rise in coronavirus case rates in the country, according to the latest data from Public Health England.

Statistics showed that rates rose from 60.9 positive Covid-19 tests recorded in the town for every 100,000 residents in the seven days before June 5 to 160.5 per 100,000 in the week leading up to June 12, the most recent period for which figures are available.

The only local authority areas which saw bigger jumps between these dates were the Ribble Valley, Hyndburn and Pendle.

In total, 337 new cases were recorded in the town in the week before June 12 compared to 128 ahead of June 5.

Warrington’s current case rate is the 21st highest in England overall, with no place outside of the north west featuring higher in the list than the town.

Between June 5 and 12, 279 local authority areas experienced a rise in case numbers while 35 recorded a fall and one was unchanged.

Blackburn with Darwen continues to have the highest case rate, with 576.5 per 100,000.

Ribble Valley, Hyndburn, Burnley and Rossendale made up the remainder of the top five national hotspots.