Ledbury politicians have spoken of their delight that Covid cases in the town are starting to fall.

The latest figures show cases had dropped by 25% in the seven days to January 15.

North Herefordshire MP Bill Wiggin praised residents for getting jabbed and for adhering to Covid rules.

“People in Ledbury embraced the vaccination programme and have responsibly protected one another,” he said.

“These results show the effectiveness of the vaccination programme, combined with the diligence of Ledbury people, who have routinely followed the advice of the Government and behaved sensibly. 

“We have seen this before when Herefordshire was lowered to Tier 1 restrictions in December 2020, while many other parts of England remained under stricter regulations. 

“The people of Ledbury deserve all of the benefits that a lower risk of transmission brings, and it is thanks to them that the Government is now able to lift the Plan B measures it introduced before Christmas.”

Mr Wiggin said he also hoped “people who doubted the vaccine” enjoyed the benefits of being at a lower risk of infection.

Ledbury mayor Andrew Manns said: “Hopefully the number of Covid infections in Ledbury and the surrounding area will continue to drop.

“Once the restrictions are lifted, we should still use caution and care where necessary to ensure that numbers do not creep back up.

“I'm really hoping that we are nearing the end of the virus so that everything returns to normal, and that we can all live our lives again. I feel really positive that business and trade will pick up even more and the town’s economy will flourish.”

Liz Harvey, councillor for Ledbury North and deputy leader of Herefordshire Council, said: “Individuals and families should continue to think about their own household and work circumstances when considering whether and when they step down their own personal measures.”

Cllr Harvey is also looking forward to a particular feature of life in Ledbury getting back to normal.

“One of the special things about living in Ledbury is the friendly way that people greet one another, make eye contact, smile and say ‘hello’ in the street,” she said.

“I’ve noticed that Covid distancing and mask wearing has made it more difficult to do this.

“If the relaxation of government guidance means that this lovely feature of Ledbury life becomes more widespread again then that will definitely be something to smile about.”