TODAY we report on a mass coronavirus outbreak at a city care home.

This will be causing tremendous concern for residents, staff and their relatives, not to mention the wider public.

Meanwhile, a city and county councillor, with responsibility for communities, decides to visit a castle nearly 50 miles away during lockdown. You couldn’t make it up.

At least Lucy Hodgson has the good sense to admit her mistake and has referred herself to the council’s standards process unlike Government adviser Dominic Cummings who insulted a nation with his pathetic excuses over his trip to Barnard Castle.

However, it’s very poor form.

How can we expect county residents to follow the latest Covid advice when the member responsible for communities has so blatantly ignored it?

No wonder former city Labour MP Mike Foster is rubbing his hand with glee and asking: “What is it with Tories and visiting castles in lockdown.”

Political points aside, this just isn’t good enough.

We expect our elected representatives to set a good example.

Let’s hope Cllr Hodgson learns from this and the standards committee takes appropriate action.