LUDLOW councillor Andy Boddington is in a 12 week lockdown as a precaution.

Mr Boddington, who represents Ludlow North on Shropshire Council, says that so far he has not had any symptoms but is taking the action as a precaution.

Last year he recovered from a minor stroke.

But Mr Boddington says that he is proud of the way that the town is coping so far with the coronavirus crisis.

The councillor says that market traders are making sure that he has plenty of supplies.

He has said that with Easter coming up it is vital that people follow the rules and stay close to home.

Mr Boddington has said that he recognizes why people might wish to travel to local beauty spots like the Mortimer Forest or Tittestone Clee but that this is not the right time to do it.

His call follows an appeal from Health Secretary Matt Hancock that people will die needlessly if others do not follow the instructions.

The requirement for people to follow these is in order to reduce the number of contacts and therefore the opportunity to pass on the virus.

Experts say that social distancing can dramatically cut the transmission of the coronavirus.

It had been estimated that at one point every infected person was passing it to more than two others but at a recent Downing Street press conference an expert said that there were indications that this was reduced to one and demonstrated that the measures are starting to work.

Public health chiefs have said that the continual rise in the daily number of cases and deaths is not a sign that the measures are not working because there is a delay of about three weeks between the action being taken and it showing up in the numbers.

Mr Boddington said that he would be depending upon local businesses during his lockdown.

He said that the town is showing great resilience.

“The Pulling Together Ludlow Team, is working flat out,” he said.

“A care work manager told me that Ludlow is far better prepared than the rest of the county We are a resilient community and that resilience is to the fore at the moment.

“I am in a 12-week lockdown. Just precautionary. No symptoms. But I already have had deliveries from Ludlow Market traders to ensure I have fresh food as well as the stuff in my store cupboard.”

Many Ludlow businesses are making food deliveries.