HAVEN holiday parks across the country are to close from today (March 20).

The holiday firm, which has sites at Burnham-on-Sea and at Doniford Bay in West Somerset, said it was following Government advice to tackle the spread of the coronavirus, with sites closed until April 16.

"We know how disappointing this will be for those guests who are booked to stay with us during this time but every decision we make, we do so ensuring the safety and security of our guests, owners and teams are our number one priority, in the unprecedented time we are in," the firm said in a statement.

"All guests affected by the closure will be contacted, but we shall prioritise those who are booked to travel within the next seven days.

"We would like to thank our guests for their patience whilst we work through this as quickly as we can."

Haven said guests should follow the company's social media channels and website for the latest updates.

"We would like to apologise to everyone for this disruption and thank our teams both on our parks and centrally for their continued support," the statement added.

"We look forward to welcoming our guests back to enjoy a coastal break that Haven prides itself.

"We do not intend to make any further statements as our priority now is to look after the guests affected by this decision."