SWINDON will be moving into Tier 4 tomorrow.

Matt Hancock announced in the House of Commons this afternoon that the town will be moving into the ‘stay at home’ alert level as a new variant of the virus - which is 70 per cent more transmissible – continues to sweep across the country.

Wiltshire is to move up to Tier 3 and neighbouring Gloucestershire goes to Tier 4.

No household mixing will be allowed and all non-essential shops, gyms and personal care businesses like hairdressers and barbers must all close.

It comes less than a week after the town moved to Tier 3 on Boxing Day, but cases are surging as 144 more coronavirus cases were confirmed yesterday - bringing the total figure to 5,631.

And the country recorded more than 50,000 cases yesterday, the highest recorded figure to date.

The town moving to the ‘stay at home’ alert level means people are only allowed to meet with one other person, not from their household in an outdoor space such as a park.

The people of Swindon have been told to stay at home, unless they have a "reasonable excuse" to leave - such as work or education.