The last remaining legal measures to contain the spread of Covid-19 have been removed in England. Restrictions on the number of people meeting indoors have been lifted and the wearing of masks is no longer legally required.
However, the ending of restrictions has become controversial because of an increase in the number of coronavirus cases in the country, which is now reporting the third highest daily infection numbers in the world.
From midnight, nightclubs were able to reopen and other indoor venues allowed to run at full capacity. Prime Minister Boris Johnson - who is self-isolating after his health minister Sajid Javid was infected - urged the public to remain prudent and for any laggards to join the two-thirds of UK adults who are now