Coronavirus news - live: ‘Things definitely heading in wrong direction,’ Whitty warns as PM says public ‘don’t want to throw in sponge’

Around 200 people have been filmed partying in student accommodation - as some universities warned those caught in serious breach of coronavirus rules could face expulsion.

Police said they attended a large gathering at Coventry University halls in the early hours of Tuesday morning. Footage showed scores of people in a common room singing as a handful danced on a ping pong table at the centre of the packed crowd.

A final decision is expected to be made on whether Merseyside will join the North East with tougher lockdown measures banning households from mixing indoors, as Liverpool mayor Joe Anderson told the Telegraph it was "only a matter of days" until a more severe lockdown was imposed on the city.