THE Welsh Government is preparing to prevent people who live in areas of the UK with high levels of coronavirus from travelling to Wales, First Minister Mark Drakeford has announced.

Mr Drakeford said the action was being taken after Prime Minister Boris Johnson did not reply to two letters requesting he introduce the measure across the UK.

Under regulations being prepared, people living in areas with high levels of coronavirus in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland will not be able to travel to Wales.

Bolton is currently placed in Tier 2 of the new lockdown restrictions with the borough at 'high alert level'.

Scotland's Nicola Sturgeon has backed Mr Drakeford's calls.

The new restrictions are planned to come into force at 6pm on Friday.

Last month, residents in Porthcawl on the south coast in Wales reacted with anger after reports that a coachload of Bolton holidaymakers visited their town.

It is thought the visitors had arrived in the popular tourist destination for the town's annual Porthcawl Elvis Presley Festival which had been cancelled due to the ongoing pandemic.