A reckless young couple have sparked fury by ignoring the lockdown rules to pitch a huge tent in the middle of a village green.
Furious residents have slammed the pair for camping opposite their homes in Bidston, Birkenhead, despite the UK being in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic.
According to a local woman, the campers arrived on Thursday at 5pm and set up a 'six-man' tent, the Liverpool Echo reports.
Gaynor Kingsley said: "A young couple, arrived about 5pm I think, they parked opposite the houses and started to set up their tent - it was massive, probably a six-man tent so my husband says.
"Our neighbours were already out looking at them when I went out to see them."
Gaynor's stunned husband called Merseyside Police to report the couple for ignoring the 'stay home, protect the NHS and save lives' rule.
Gaynor said: "This was a totally unnecessary action, you can’t even sunbathe in a field for goodness sake, and the police said they would send a team to investigate when they were available.
"I saw two sets of dog walkers take out their phones to photograph them, and many of my neighbours photographed them as well."
Gaynor said the couple decided to leave after realising they had received a frosty welcome from locals.
She said: "They started to pack the tent away at about 6.45pm, it may have been their intention to just try it out, to practise erecting it, but I think all the gasping from the neighbours was a factor that hurried them away."
Merseyside Police have been contacted for comment.
The news comes as the UK's death toll from people testing positive for Covid-19 on Friday afternoon had risen 9,016.
But the true toll is likely much higher as hundreds are thought to have died in private homes, care homes and hospices.
