The leader of Cheshire East Council has hailed the local vaccine rollout as a "great success" but urged caution following a "disturbing" rise in Covid-19 infections.

Cllr Sam Corcoran, who represents the Sandbach Heath and East ward, said the rate of infection has had a "significant fall" from 47 per 100,000 at the end of March down to 18 per 100,000 this week.

In a video posted on social media yesterday (27 April), Cllr Corcoran said: "However, a week ago the rate was 14 per 100,000 and over the last week the rate has been slowly increasing – that increase is disturbing.

"Each time restrictions are relaxed there needs to be a compensating factor otherwise the infection rate will increase."

The local vaccine rollout has "undoubtedly been a factor" in the overall fall in the infection rate over the last few months, the council leader added.

Cllr Corcoran said: "The infection rate in the over 65s is now very low, which suggests the success of the vaccination programme in reducing the infection rate.

"We know that the infection is spread by droplets breathed out by an infectious person and you can be infectious before you have symptoms."

Residents have been urged to stick with the current restrictions to help keep the infection rate from increasing any further.