In pictures: Brighton and Hove on first weekend of lockdown

Pictures show walkers strolling along a busy promenade in Hove on Saturday as residents went outside to make the most of the autumn sunshine.

Many people are also pictured sitting on the beach in groups.

Photos: Eddie Mitchell

Under the new lockdown rules, people are urged to stay at home as much as possible but can leave their house for a number of exceptions.

These include recreational purposes with people from one’s own household, such as going for a walk or sitting outside.

A single person can meet with one person from another household only for recreation - the “one plus one” rule.

According to figures released by Pubic Health England yesterday, 354 cases of Covid-19 had been confirmed in Brighton and Hove in the past seven days, giving the city a weekly infection rate of 121.7 per 100,000 people.

On the first day of the month-long national lockdown on Thursday, Brighton and Hove City Council urged residents to help drive down the infection rate in the city.

Director of public health, Alistair Hill, said: “Our goal is to emerge from lockdown with much lower rates of Covid-19 in the city and hopefully be at the lowest national alert level, Tier 1.

"We’re asking everyone to help drive down rates of infection.

“If you experience any Covid-19 symptoms please self-isolate, along with your household members, and apply for a test immediately. There is plenty of testing capacity in the city right now.

“Closely follow the self-isolation guidelines to stop the virus infecting more people. If NHS Test and Trace contact you, please cooperate with them so that we can break the chain of transmission.

“It will be tough going for us all, but lockdown gives us an opportunity to drive down rates of infection.”