Boris Johnson's leading scientific advisors recommended much harsher restrictions than those the government implemented yesterday, it has emerged. 

According to reports the government's advisors recommended a two-week 'circuit break' lockdown three weeks ago.

Scientists urged Boris to go further than the three-tier local lockdown system he announced yesterday.

READ MORE: What people in Darlington had to say about new restrictions 

The Prime Minister announced the new three tier system yesterday, which placed the North East and North Yorkshire into level two putting restrictions on households mixing. 

But latest revelations show the scientific community wanted the restrictions to go much further. 

In a meeting on September 21, SAGE - the government advisory body- said a two-week circuit-breaker lockdown across the whole of England was one of a shortlist of five measures that "should be considered for immediate introduction".

The group also said a circuit-breaker of two to three weeks was "likely to have similar levels of effectiveness as national lockdown in Spring" and bring the R below 1, albeit only temporarily.

The revelations have prompted many to speculate that tougher restrictions will soon be in place if cases don't begin to fall. 

Yesterday The Northern Echo revealed there had been another 1,300 positive cases across the region in just 24 hours.