BURNLEY'S MP has called for parts of his constituency to be taken out of coronavirus restrictions.

Tory Antony Higginbotham has written to Health Secretary Matt Hancock urging him to remove six areas from the 'Area of Intervention' status.

They are Harle Skye and Lanehead, Padiham, Habergham and Ightenhill, Whittlefield and Rose Grove, Brunshaw and Brownside along with Cliviger, Worsthorne and Lane Bottom.

Her letter to Mr Hancock came as he, senior advisers and local public health bosses discussed possible changes to the restricted areas in Lancashire at a Gold Command meeting this afternoon for announcement tomorrow.

The rules in Blackburn with Darwen Borough, where eight wards were last week put into semi-lockdown and nine others (including the whole of Darwen) saw regulations eased to national guidelines, are not expected to change as a result of the video conference.

Mr Higginbotham tells the health secretary: "These areas meet the criteria indicating a very low Covid-19 prevalence.

"They are areas where there have been fewer than two cases recorded in any given week, for at least four weeks continually; where there have been fewer than two cases recorded in any given week, with the exception of a single week spike, for at least eight weeks; or have had fewer than two cases within the last 14 days."

Mr Higginbotham adds that there is a reasonable case to be made for the removal from the high level of restrictions for Barclay Hills and Trinity, Hapton and Lowerhouse, Rose Hill & Burnley Wood, Queensgate, Central Burnley and Daneshouse, and Bank Hall and Fulledge.

A Department of Health spokesman said: "The Gold meeting, will make the final decision based on the local recommendation, or recommendations if consensus cannot be reached."

Gary Hall, deputy chair of the Lancashire Resilience Forum, said: “The local outbreak boards have fed their views through to central government. We are all committed to working together to reduce coronavirus rates in Lancashire"

Rossendale was also exempted from tight restrictions while Pendle Council leader Cllr Mohammed Iqbal has complained about Mr Hancock imposing strict new rules on seven borough wards covering Nelson and Brierfield.