Newspaper headlines: 'Bleakest midwinter' as Covid tiers extended

The Daily Telegraph reports that ministers will consider implementing a third national coronavirus lockdown after Christmas, if the current surge in cases does not come under control during the festive period.

The Times says the government is considering tightening restrictions further in the south-east of England, with an unnamed Whitehall official telling the paper that non-essential shops could be closed and people ordered to stay at home.

Elsewhere, the Scottish edition of the Daily Mail leads with the headline "Nightmare After Christmas", saying First Minister Nicola Sturgeon is to meet her cabinet to discuss whether more areas should be moved into the highest tier of restrictions.

Meanwhile, the Daily Mirror opts for the headline "Tiers Before Bedlam", with the paper's leader commenting that the decision to expand tough restrictions - while persevering with the previously promised relaxation of rules at Christmas - defies logic.

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In its lead story, the Guardian claims increasing numbers of hospitals in England are facing shortages of beds.

It says the situation is particularly concerning in London, Leicester and Northampton, with NHS bosses warning that they expect the situation to worsen in the coming weeks.

The report also reveals that hospitals had to turn ambulances away on 44 occasions last week - the most times that has happened for four years.

The front page of the Metro also focuses on the health service, revealing that nearly 40% of nurses have missed meals or used food banks because they could not afford to feed their families.

The paper reports that a third of 3,000 nurses surveyed suggest they are considering quitting the profession next year because of poor pay.

The Daily Mail says the UK is facing the "Bleakest Midwinter" as it deals with the worsening pandemic and faltering Brexit trade talks.

And the Financial Times reports the EU's Covid economic recovery measures are causing fresh difficulties in the talks, with Boris Johnson unwilling to allow the money to be exempt from rules restricting state aid.

The Daily Express headline says the two sides remain "Poles Apart", with the prime minister refusing to give ground.

A government source is quoted in the paper saying "the French are being as unreasonable as ever and demanding the status quo for 10 years. There is no way we can accept that".

Many of us may have had a few bad hair days this year as we struggled with the closure of hairdressers during lockdown.

But the Daily Star is warning that hair-dos could get even worse in 2021.

Its front page announces the "return of the mullet", with the head of the British Master Barbers Alliance predicting that the much-derided 1980s style will make a comeback next year.

The paper's editorial urges young people considering the style to look at old photographs of their parents - or watch old episodes of the TV show Bullseye - to realise it might not be the best idea.