ALL international passengers arriving in England will have to return a negative Covid test before they can enter the country.

Travellers landing at Gatwick and other airports will be forced to show they do not have coronavirus.

People will have to take a test up to 72 hours before travelling to England.

The new measures are expected to come into effect in early next week, in an attempt to control the spread of a mutant strain of Covid-19.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said: "We already have significant measures in place to prevent imported cases of Covid-19, but with new strains of the virus developing internationally we must take further precautions."

The Argus: Arrivals will now have to have a negative Covid-19 test before entering Arrivals will now have to have a negative Covid-19 test before entering

It comes just days after Sussex was plunged into a national lockdown, with a major incident declared in the county over fears services could be overwhelmed.

Those who fail to comply with the new travel rules, which apply to those arriving by plane, boat or train, will receive a £500 fine.

However, there will be several exemptions, including hauliers, children under 11 and those arrivng from the Common Travel Area with Ireland.