Councillors along the Shropshire-Powys border have written to Wales' First Minister Mark Drakeford urging him not to forget the self-employed workers on both sides of the border during the firebreak lockdown.

Liberal Democrat councillors Nigel Hartin, Ruth Houghton and Heather Kidd have pointed out to the First Minster that rural areas such as the Welsh marches have a "great many people are self-employed and that the lockdown has impacted on many residents in England as well as Wales".

Bishop's Castle county councillor Ruth Houghton has called on the Welsh Government to extend its grant schemes to people in England who rely on a "significant proportion" of their income from people living in Wales.

She said: "The Welsh Government has brought in two grant schemes each worth £1,000 to tide over the self-employed based in Wales.

"We are asking him to consider extending all or part of this grant to those individuals who either trade in Wales or derive a significant proportion of their income from Welsh residents and who have been impacted by this lockdown."

Cllr Heather Kidd, who represents Chirbury and Worthen, said many Shropshire residents are "suffering" as a result of the 17-day lockdown.

She said: "The Welsh Government has introduced measures to financially support self-employed people in Wales. Although this is good it does not take account of the fact that many self-employed people work on both sides of the border and many Shropshire residents are suffering from the impact of this lockdown.

"For example, I have a peripatetic hairdresser. Half his clients are in Powys. Visits to them are out of the question for the next fortnight as he visits them in their own homes. Similarly, I know of tradesmen such as plumbers and electricians who have lost work because of the uncertainty."

Liberal Democrat county councillor for Clun, Cllr Nigel Hartin said the areas' hospitality sector has been "hit hard" by the new measures.

"There are many pubs, cafes etc along the border who rely on cross border trade for much of their income," Cllr Hartin said.

"I live in Bucknell, within a few miles of the border, and this move will impact on the takings of a number of establishments already hit hard already this year."