What will the Leicester lockdown mean for the Harborough district? Councillors express their concerns about how it will be policed

Fears are growing that a new hardline Covid-19 lockdown extended well into July in Leicester will spark havoc over the border into Harborough district.

Councillors spoke out at a full district council meeting on Monday night as the Government imposed a tough new crackdown amid a resurgence of the coronavirus in Leicester.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock acted after the city has been hit by almost 900 new cases of the virus since the middle of June.

Cllr Simon Galton, who represents Thurnby and Houghton, on the eastern edge of Leicester, said: “We are watching this situation every hour because of the impact it will have on us.”

The Liberal Democrat councillor said that both he and his residents were very concerned as to “how on earth” the new Covid-19 clampdown in Leicester will work.

Cllr Galton said city he is worried residents would be able to drive just a few miles out to drink at re-opened pubs in Thurnby and Houghton, Great Glen and Broughton Astley if theirs were still shut.

“I would urge our senior officers to get as much information as they can on how this is going to work,” he told councillors.

“We have had people gathering in large numbers and it’s totally unacceptable.

“And the council has been slow on occasions to react.”

Cllr Phil King, the council’s leader, said the situation was so serious that he had taken great “umbrage” as a result at the violent mass brawl in Little Bowden Recreation Ground in Market Harborough on Friday night.

“We had hundreds of people taking part in reckless, mindless anti-social behaviour.

“Fuelled by drugs and alcohol, we had wanton acts of destruction,” warned Cllr King.

“Sadly, the residents of our district are now at greater risk of catching the coronavirus.

“My heart goes out to all those who have died of the coronavirus in Harborough.

“I am immensely concerned about the coronavirus.”

Cllr Phil Knowles, leader of the council’s Liberal Democrat group, said the UK’s real Covid-19 death toll could end up being a devastating 70,000.

“The coronavirus is a real concern.

“We’ve had very worrying situations with a lot of people gathering at Saddington Reservoir and in Little Bowden,” he said.

“People should not be down there – someone will pay for this with their life.

“And urgent questions need to be asked about the situation in Leicester – we need some answers fast.”