All children's playgrounds in Manchester have been closed with immediate effect in a bid to reduce the spread of coronavirus.
Manchester City Council announced the decision on Twitter on Monday afternoon.
They have urged people to allow the city's parks to remain open by following proper social distancing measures.
Council leaders advised residents to use their local parks and green spaces instead of travelling further afield.
It comes after crowds of people flocked to parks, beauty spots, beaches and markets over the weekend.
In a statement on Twitter, council bosses said: "Children's play areas in all of Manchester's parks are closing with immediate effect today (Monday 23 March) to help minimise the spread of coronavirus.
"This weekend, parks in Manchester were extremely well-used, but unfortunately some visitors were not following the government's social distancing guidance.
"Help us keep parks open by following the guidance.
"We'd also encourage you to make use of parks and green spaces in your local area to keep travelling to a minimum."
Boris Johnson is facing repeated calls to order a widespread lock down, in line with other European countries.
The Prime Minister said he will 'think very actively' about whether to restrict movement altogether, as the number of cases of COVID-19 continues to rise.
An official spokesperson for Downing Street confirmed that further measures could be put in place if data showed that people were not following social distancing guidance.
Boris Johnson's spokesperson said: "Our message is clear, people should stay at home if possible.
"This will save lives, protect the vulnerable and support the NHS."
Health secretary Matt Hancock also called for people to take social distancing measures seriously.
Speaking on BBC Radio 4, Mr Hancock said he did not know why some people were ignoring the Government’s advice.
There are now more than 5,600 confirmed cases of coronavirus in the UK and over 300 people have died after contracting the disease.
