McDonald's in Congleton will close by 7pm tonight.

All the fast-food chain's restaurants in the UK and Ireland are shutting as a result of the coronavirus outbreak.

However, the company has pledged to work with community groups to distribute food and drink.

The move comes after the Government ordered restaurants, cafes, pubs and other public places to close in a bid to stem the spread of the disease.

A spokesman said: "We have taken the difficult decision to close all McDonald's restaurants in the UK and Ireland by 7pm on Monday, 23 March at the latest.

"This is not a decision we are taking lightly, but one made with the well-being and safety of our employees in mind as well as in the best interests of our customers.

"We will work with community groups to responsibly distribute food and drink from our restaurants in the coming days.

"Thank you to our brilliant employees for their hard work during this incredibly challenging time.

"We look forward to seeing you all again as soon as its safe for us to reopen."

Read our previous article on Congleton McDonald's here .