CORONAVIRUS infection rates have been rising acrossing the country and in Bury after the easing of government restrictions.

In Bury, the number of people per 100,000 who tested positive for Covid-19 in the seven days up to March 24 was 621.9 after 1,186 cases were found up to that date.

That rate was much lower than the UK average of 902.4.

But an interactive government map, which updates daily, shows areas of the borough have much higher rates than Bury's average.

In the Whitefield West and Park Lane area, the rate per 100,000 was 952.0, much higher than neighbouring Whitefield East (685.4).

The Prestwich Clough and Rainsough area (rate of 934.4) has also been a hotspot for infections recently too.

Other areas with high rates include Prestwich East (795.8), Radcliffe (709.5), Unsworth (708.3) Ramsbottom (670.0), and Nuttall and Tottington (659.70).

Central Bury had the borough's lowest rates, the map shows. Heywood Heap Bridge and Darnhill (331.9) and Fernhill and Pimhole (389.2) had much lower rates than nearby Fairfield and Jericho.

Walshaw & Woolfold (578.0), and Walmersley and Limefield (519.4) are other places with rates less than the borough average.