THE MP for Clwyd West has called for a ban on visitors to caravan parks and holiday cottages in North Wales due to fears it could put further strain on the region's health care system.

David Jones MP called on the UK and Welsh Government to take "immediate action" as second home owners are attempting to leave urban areas during the coronavirus outbreak and could bring the infection to North Wales.

It comes amid concern that Wales has just five intensive care beds per 100,000 people and could be under greater pressure than health services in England.

Mr Jones said that while advice has been issued to limit non-essential travel, roads across North Wales "have been full" with visitors.

Other tourist hotspots including Pembrokeshire, Cornwall and North Yorkshire have also faced an influx of visitors over the last week.

“The Government has been very clear that people should not undertake non-essential travel, but should, so far as possible, stay at home," said Mr Jones. "Yet the roads of North Wales this weekend – the first weekend of Spring – have been full of people from outside the region making their way to holiday parks and cottages.

“These people may be touring from areas where coronavirus has already taken hold. Even if they are not themselves already displaying symptoms, they may already be infected and develop the infection or spread infection while in North Wales.

"Either way, they are liable to impose significant additional strain upon local health services, which are already overstretched. The North Wales Health Board has been in special measures for almost five years."

Mr Jones adds to the calls of Welsh MPs and assembly members including Ynys Mon AM Rhun ap Iorwerth and Plaid Cymru Westminster leader Liz Saville-Roberts, who wrote to Health Secretary Matt Hancock urging a "non-travel directive" as travel advice is being ignored.

Mr Jones added: "The problem of temporary residents and the strain they impose on local health services is not confined to North Wales. Pembrokeshire, Scotland, Cornwall and North Yorkshire are other areas of the UK that are extremely concerned about the same issue.

“At a time of a national public health emergency, the last thing we need is people moving about the country, when the best medical opinion is that they should stay at home.”