A Cheddleton pub has said they are "baffled and upset" after Staffordshire County Council urged anyone who had visited the venue to get tested due to the apparent risk of people having entered the pub while infected with Coronavirus.

The Black Lion in Cheddleton responded yesterday after the county council issued a press release following a significant outbreak of the Indian Covid variant in Leek.

The council explained that around 1,000 students at several Leek schools had been told to isolate following the outbreak, and also asked anyone who had visited The Black Lion between 22-23rd May to get tested.

A council spokesperson said: "Staff and customers who visited the following venues on the specified dates are also being urged to get tested. This is because people may have visited the venues while infectious."

However, the local pub has since responded in a social media post that has received hundreds of 'likes', shares and comments.

A spokesperson for the pub said: "Following on from yesterday's Covid press release from Staffordshire County Council and a number of calls from customers we would just like to clarify our current situation.

"We had one young member of staff who attends Westwood College who returned a positive test on Sunday 23rd May. She has been self isolating since that time. She is due back at work Friday 4th June, she has had no symptoms and is perfectly well.

"We have a number of other members of staff who also attend Westwood College who are isolating as they have been instructed. They are not available for work until Monday 7th June .

"We notified the authorities on Monday 24th May and followed their advice. We are baffled and upset that eight days later Staffordshire County Council think there is a need to announce this to the wider world when we have followed their protocols and they clearly have not.

"We thought the authorities wanted to work along with businesses through this difficult time, this does not seem to have been the approach exercised by Dr Richard Harling of Staffordshire County Council.

"If they are really concerned about this situation why did it take them eight days to ask for the contact details of our customers who had not logged in via the test and trace app?

"We are proud of the young members of staff we have. There should be no stigma attached to employing young people.

"Going forward we are happy with how we have handled this situation and would like to assure people we provide a perfectly safe environment to enjoy pleasant hospitality. We are well and truly open for business."

Extra testing is now being made available in Leek following the outbreak. Testing is available at St Edward's Church of England Academy School today, Friday and Saturday. Leek High School will also be hosting testing today and Friday.

Sites will be open from 9.30am, and more than 300 appointments are available at these sites on a first come, first served basis.

Added to this, a national testing centre will be available at Leek Britannia HQ, ST13 5RL from today until Saturday 12 June. Appointments will need to be booked through the national site.