Stroud District Council has launched a campaign to encourage people to Think Local First in the run-up to Christmas.

The campaign aims to encourage safe shopping with businesses which can open under coronavirus restrictions and the use of click and collect and delivery services in the area.

Council leader Councillor Doina Cornell said: "It is so important that we all support local businesses as much as possible, especially in the run-up to Christmas.

"Rather than doing all your shopping with a multi-national online company, we're asking residents to try to buy what they need locally in the first instance.

"The more of us that do that, the better chance our local businesses have of surviving."

The council's environmental health team is working with businesses to help them protect themselves, their staff and members of the public by trading safely as England's November lockdown comes to an end.

The team includes food safety inspectors, a Covid safety officer and a team of Covid community officers as part of a joint scheme with Gloucester, Cheltenham and Tewkesbury councils.

The Think Local First campaign has the backing of the Stroud & District Chamber of Trade and is part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund through the Government's Reopening of the High Streets Fund.