Here are the areas in Bedford where Covid infections have risen as Indian variant takes hold

Lockdown is gradually lifting across England - but in Bedford coronavirus cases are rising daily.

The so-called Indian variant is fast becoming a cause of concern for the Government with infections identified in Bolton, Blackburn, Darwen, Leicester and Nottingham - as well as our town where it is now believed to be the dominant variant

There are fears the roadmap out of lockdown could be threatened by the new variant.And yesterday (Thursday, May 13), Bedford Today revealed how the council was urging the Government to vaccinate the over 16s after the case rate more than doubled in the space of a week.

The latest figures show 11 out of 20 neighbourhoods in Bedford have had an increase in infections in the latest seven-day period, the first week of May.

Now with gyms, bars and restaurants also open to customers again, we reveal which neighbourhoods had the biggest rise in case rates per 100,000 people between May 1 and 8.