Furious Brits are demanding beachgoers who were at Durdle Door beach self-isolate after pictures emerged of packed crowds.
Sunbathers were herded together at the beach in Dorset yesterday so helicopters could land after three people were seriously injured cliff-jumping.
The packed scenes at the popular tourist spot on a baking Saturday were labelled 'insanity' as some warned Brits are acting like the lockdown is already over.
Dorset Council announced this morning Durdle Door and neighbouring Lulworth Cove were closed throughout Sunday, and roads would be blocked due to yesterday's incident.
Not long after that announcement, the council announced it was having to close the road to the seaside village of West Bexington too after 'excessive numbers of visitors to the beach.'
But the aftermath of the incident which saw emergency services called to the beach to rescue the trio has led to concerns a Covid-19 cluster will emerge among beach-goers.
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The coronavirus restrictions ease again on Monday - allowing people to meet in groups of up to six as long as they practise social distancing guidelines.
However Prime Minister Boris Johnson is under fire for announcing the changes on Thursday, ahead of a sunny weekend.
Authorities around the UK yesterday warned people were already gathering in large groups at beaches, parks and beautyspots, with many pictured boozing in the sun.
Good Morning Britain's Piers Morgan led the criticism of Durdle Door beachgoers last night.
He tweeted: "Fools throwing themselves off the cliffs into the sea (3 badly hurt) air ambulances, 100s of people packed together like sardines. Total insanity."
Dorset Council last night said it was shutting Durdle Door and Lulworth beaches until further notice, following the incident.
The council urged people not to attempt to travel to Durdle Door or the Lulworth area.
The incident came amid weeks of begging from local authorities for stricter rules to ward off lockdown tourism.
Authorities in seashore destinations such as Cornwall had warned the government relaxing the rules to allow people in England to wherever they want would lead to huge crowds flocking to beaches.
Welsh authorities this weekend were once again stopping people travelling from England in attempts to cross the border to visit beaches, which remains against Wales' rules.
Two separate incidents at Durdle Door yesterday led to the crowd scenes that sparked outrage.
Four people were injured - three of them seriously - jumping off the cliffs and the beach had to be closed and evacuated shortly after for two air ambulances to land.
A video emerged yesterday showing someone leaping from 200ft cliffs at the beach and smashing into the sea as crowds cheer them on.
Purbeck Police said emergency responders were also called to attend a separate incident at the beach.
The photographs of the massive crowds huddled together to make room for the air ambulances have led to suggestions beach-goers should isolate.
The official advice remains for people to remain two metres apart from people outside of their household, to avoid spreading the killer virus.
Twitter user Thom Belk wrote yesterday: "If I know anyone who was at Durdle Door today, please self isolate for 14 days and smack yourself in the face, p****s."
Ex-Scots soldier and former Labour candidate Alex Tiffin tweeted: "Everyone who was present at Durdle Door today should be forced to self isolate for 14 days. To not do so would be wilfully risking lives."
And Comedian Jason Manford wrote on Twitter : "If it were only themselves affected I’d say it was a case of natural selection for those heading to Durdle Door! But it’s not.
"Likely anyone fit & healthy enough to sit on a packed beach won’t be ones dying in a few weeks of the virus. God help us. Still highest death rate in Europe."
Others pointed to the government's refusal to heed public demands to take action over the PM's aide Dominic Cummings ' lockdown-breaching trips to Durham and Barnard Castle.
Twitter user Silverfinger wrote: "The "Cummings Effect" reached Durdle Door beach in Dorset today, when police were forced to evacuate it owing to accidents and overcrowding. Yet the lockdown rules don't ease off until Monday."
And another user of the social media platform, Ian Campbell, tweeted: "Wonder how many of the families that went to Durdle Door today will be keeping their kids home on Monday when the schools reopen because it's too dangerous?"
At yesterday's daily Downing Street briefing, deputy chief medical officer Professor Jonathan Van-Tam urged the public to adhere to social distancing at today's Downing Street briefing.
His warning came after pictures showed Brits flocking to enjoy the sunny spring weather at beaches across the UK ahead of lockdown being eased.
Prof Van-Tam said: "I think there's a dual responsibility here that contact tracing has got to go well, but the public have also got to engage with it and to take the advice about self-isolation, if it's given because you're a contact, very seriously."
