RESIDENTS across Basingstoke have been forced to change and cancel their Christmas plans due to the rapid spread of the Omicron variant.

The news comes after tougher restrictions may reportedly soon be introduced in the face of the spread of the Omicron variant, after experts have warned there are likely already hundreds of thousands of new infections every day.

Victoria Ray, who lives in Brighton Hill was due to take her three-year-old daughter Gabriella-Rose to Disneyland Paris for her Christmas present, but the family is now unable to go.

She said that it is “extremely disheartening”.

Victoria said: “It is absolute madness considering I am triple jabbed as well and it is disheartening but unfortunately it is what it is.

“We had to tell our daughter it was closed, and we can’t go and she is only three and a half but she is a bright girl anyway.

“We have booked to go in February half term instead so we have just moved it so fingers crossed we can take her there and then.”

Victoria is now in the process of buying Christmas presents in replacement of the Disneyland trip.

She added: “We have gone out and brought more Christmas presents as Disneyland was her only present. We have had a last-minute rush round to try and get some bits.”

Victoria does not think the new variant should change people’s Christmas plans but fully understands the importance of putting things on the back burner to get vaccinated.

Mai Smith is 72-years-old and was planning to travel to Ireland to be with her son and his family over Christmas but has since decided not to travel.

She said that she finds Covid “very scary” at the moment.

She added: “I was due to go to Ireland on to spend Christmas with my son and his family. I have only seen them once in two years. That was when they came in October.

“I also have many cousins in Ireland, and I was looking forward to seeing them.

“In my view of the situation with Covid I decided not to go. I am 72 and although I am fully vaccinated, I still feel vulnerable.”

Natalie Clarke from Beggarwood said she is planning to have a quiet Christmas with her family.

“It will be quite a low-key Christmas, to be honest, and I will be just at home with my children and my husband so not the big Christmas that we are used to but it will just be nice to be all together and hopefully all be well,” she told The Gazette.

Natalie was due to travel to London for a mini-break before Christmas to do some festive site seeing, but she has now cancelled the trip as Covid continues to spread.

She added: “It is just better to be safe than to take any chances.”