A CLICK and collect service is being launched in Darlington on Monday to enable residents to pick up lateral flow Covid tests.

The town was the first in the region to roll out a community testing scheme in December and as of last Wednesday, had carried out more than 28,000 tests.

Darlington Borough Council is now extending its scheme to give residents the option to visit one of the council’s six testing sites for an appointment, or book to collect two boxes of lateral flow tests - 14 in total - from the sites to take at home.

The new service will be one of several ways people in Darlington can take twice weekly tests as the government has ensured that everyone in England will be able to access free, regular, rapid coronavirus testing.

Penny Spring, director of public health at the council, said: “By making community tests even easier to access, more people will be able to take the tests twice weekly as recommended – which is an essential part of continuing to safely ease lockdown restrictions.

“We are extremely proud of our community testing scheme, which has been recognised as gold standard and was one of the first in the country to make lateral flow tests available on mass.

“The new service will go even further to protect our communities and keep Darlington on the right track.”

Appointments are available at the six testing sites, including the Dolphin Centre and the Head of Steam museum, bookable via darlington.gov.uk/testing from Monday.