University students in England will be allowed to travel home in early December so families can be reunited for Christmas under Government guidance for the coronavirus pandemic.

Institutions will be told by the Department for Education (DfE) to end in-person teaching and switch to online classes so they can return between December 3-9.

Under guidance published today, universities will be told to set staggered departure dates during the 'student travel window' so they can safely return home.

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It is hoped the risk of transmission will be reduced as students will be travelling after the four-week period of national restrictions in England.

Deputy chief medical officer Dr Jenny Harries said: “The mass movement of students across the country at the end of term presents a really significant challenge within the Covid-19 response.

“The measures announced today will help minimise that risk and help students get home to their families as safely as possible for Christmas.

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"It is crucial that students follow the guidance in order to protect their families and the communities they return to.”

Oxford's two universities have been the cause of hundreds of cases in the city.

In the seven days to Friday, November 6, there were 146 new positive tests confirmed by Oxford University's own testing service.

The most recent data for Oxford Brookes Univeristy, covering the week to October 30, recorded 31 cases, with 28 attributed to the city.