Pubs, restaurants and supermarkets where people continually flout new coronavirus regulations can expect to see targeted enforcement operations.

Authorities across Greater Manchester have pledged to crack down on the establishments where people regularly break the rules, including places where social distancing isn't taking place, and places where customers aren't wearing face coverings.

New lockdown restrictions were introduced across the region from last Thursday, following a spike in Covid-19 cases.

It led to Greater Manchester Police's busiest weekend for coronavirus-related calls in nine weeks with reports of more than 750 illegal gatherings.

Among the new rules is a ban on people from different households meeting in a private home or garden.

Sir Richard Leese, the leader of Manchester City Council, and Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham said it would be difficult for police to enforce households not mixing, but promised action would be taken over repeat breaches by pubs, restaurants and supermarkets.

Sir Richard said: "We will be looking over the coming days to have targeted enforcement - high-profile so it's visible - and we will be looking in particular at pubs and supermarkets.

"We see quite often that collection of contact details isn't being done in pubs and social distancing isn't being respected, while customers are not wearing coverings and face masks in large numbers of supermarkets and other shop settings.

"The test for pubs and restaurants is whether they are taking the reasonable measures they are expected to. So if it's restaurants - do they have disposable menus, are they only putting cutlery out when they are serving people, do they have sanitisers, are their tables two metres apart?

"Do we expect them to interrogate their customers to make sure they are all in the same household or the same bubble? Well no, not really, as individuals do need to take some responsibility."

He said that in some cases the authorities would also ensure the owners of outlets - such as breweries - were also taking responsibility for what was happening on their premises.

Mr Burnham added: "The priority will be targeted enforcement of repeat offenders. It builds on an approach we took when there was concern about house parties.

"Greater Manchester Police worked very effectively with our councils in identifying addresses that were repeat offenders and action was taken."