A MOBILE coronavirus testing unit will be in place in Barnsley town centre until the end of next week.

The unit, manned by armed forces staff, will be open from 10.30am until 4pm on lower County Way until Sunday July 26.

The local authority is advising anyone who regularly comes into contact with people - such as taxi drivers, bus drivers, retail and security staff - to visit the unit, with no appointment required.

Public Health England has given the go-ahead for increased testing after South Yorkshire was deemed one of the worst-hit areas in the country, although health bosses in Barnsley have noted encouraging signs that the town’s rate of new cases has slowed.