Coronavirus infection rates tumbled in 70pc of neighbourhoods in Norfolk and Waveney in the first two weeks of lockdown, according to the latest figures.

On January 5 the country entered a third national lockdown amid concerns over a more contagious variant of the virus.

Since then, Norfolk’s rate of infections has fallen consistently, reaching 409 infections per 100,0000 as of January 19 – a fall of 20pc since January 5.

In Suffolk, rates also fell by 36pc to 334 per 100,000 people.

While some areas are still seeing increases, a fifth of neighbourhoods in Norfolk and Waveney have seen rates fall by at least half.

The biggest falls were in Beeston Regis, Saxthorpe & Aldborough in North Norfolk and Hempnall, Ditchingham & Wortwell in South Norfolk.

Rates have fallen by 76pc in both areas, from 292.9 and 373.9 to 67.9 and 90.3 respectively. It is the first time any neighbourhoods have returned rates of below 100 since before Christmas.

In the Blofield, Lingwood and Upton area, where infection rates were among the highest in Norfolk recently, infections have fallen by 71pc, from 953.2 to 280.4 since lockdown started.

Seven other neighbourhoods have seen rates fall by at least 60pc since January 5, including Spixworth and St Faiths in Broadland, Mundesley, Trunch and Bacton as well as Lowestoft.

And in Gorleston, rates have tumbled from just over 1,000 infections per 100,000 people to 466.8 in a fortnight - a drop of 53pc.

Overall infection rates also fell across all of Norfolk's local authorities.

In North Norfolk and Breckland rates fell from 395.5 and 584.2 to 256.6 and 405.3 respectively – falls of 35pc and 31pc.

South Norfolk and Great Yarmouth saw rates fall by 21pc – from 437.3 and 625.2 to 344.3 and 492.3.

In Breckland rates fell from 534.3 to 433.7 – a fall of 19pc, while King’s Lynn and West Norfolk saw a fall of 12pc, from 475 to 416.8.

Recent outbreaks in Norwich meant that the city saw the smallest fall, with rates there now the highest in Norfolk at 501.5, having fallen by 1pc in the seven days up to January 19.