Four Blackburn postcode areas are being asked to take a Covid-19 test in a bid to stop the spread of the Indian variant.

Within the BB1 6, BB1 7, BB1 8 and BB2 6 postcodes, people will be able to get access to surge testing if they live, work or go to school in these areas.

If a person tests positive, the sample will then be sent for analysis at a laboratory to find out if there are any more cases of the variant in the area, with an aim of understanding the spread of the new variant.

The army will be deployed to help with surge testing which will be accessible over the next two weeks starting from Tuesday May 18, with people asked to collect a test from Revidge Fold United Reform Church, Corporation Park main entrance or Bangor Street Community Centre.

The test collection sites will be open from Monday to Friday from 8am to 6.30pm and on Saturday and Sunday between 10am and 4pm and tests can be taken for a household and neighbours, completed then returned to the same place they were collected.

Anyone who has symptoms of the virus should stay at home and book a free test online or by phone, so they can be tested at a testing site or have a testing kit sent to their home.

Everyone living in other parts of the borough is encouraged to take up the free rapid testing offer regularly.