Nicola Sturgeon has given a stark warning that tougher lockdown rules could be imposed in the next few days.

She said top level meetings were taking place and “hard decisions” will need to be taken to prevent coronavirus levels leading to national lockdown again.

She said: "I'm giving people advance notice we are likely to see some difficult but necessary decsions.

She said that meant "Greater restrictions than we are under right now but that allow us to keep schools open."

The First Minister said she has asked Boris Johnson to convene a Cobra meeting of the four UK nations and she is meeting with the Scientific Advisory Group SAGE.

Ms Sturgeon gave the sternest warning in months that further restrictions will be necessary and said the next few days are crucial.

She said: “We are facing an exponential growth. We need to avoid that. No-one wants to see another full scale lockdown.

“That means right now, today, following all the rules and advice.”

She warned the country was on the same trajectory as mainland European countries where cases are rising similar to earlier in the year.

She said that cases in France were now at 10,000 a day.

She said: “They stood a few weeks ago where we are today.”

She told people: "We are at a critical point right now. Nothing is inevitable, we all have the power to stop this running out of control again.”

However, she said: “In the coming days hard and necessary decisions” will be taken.

She added: “Doing nothing is not an option”.

Ms Sturgeon said people should avoid all non-essential travel abroad.

She also said to avoid non-essential travel at home within the UK as well and particularly not to go to areas where there are higher levels of the virus.