MORE than 2,000 people have taken advantage of rapid coronavirus tests at a borough's two new hubs.

The centres for Blackburn with Darwen residents without Covid-19 symptoms opened on January 11 at Ewood Park and King George's Hall.

Borough leader Cllr Mohammed Khan has revealed that 2,325 people have so far accessed rapid SMART coronavirus tests at the two hubs with 74 testing positive..

Of the total 1,208 tests were done at Ewood Park and 1,317 at King George’s Hall.

Cllr Khan said: "I’m pleased to see so many people have accessed tests at the two SMART testing hubs already.

"It’s clear this approach gives easy access to those having to leave the home for work as well as those living in the targeted areas with high levels of infection.

"One in three people with coronavirus do not have any symptoms and so can pass on the virus without knowing it, so I’d encourage even more people from the target groups to utilise these hubs, get tested and help us break the chain of transmission."