A couple who had to be rescued when they got stuck in mud during an illegal walk in Kent have been slapped with a £200 fine.
The man, 30, and woman, 23, travelled 37 miles from London for a stroll along Warden Bay on the Isle of Sheppey, Kent on Sunday.
But their lockdown escape went embarrassingly wrong when they found themselves with mud up to their knees and were forced to call emergency services.
A dramatic two-hour rescue launched shortly before 2pm which saw Kent Fire and Rescue Service, HM Coastguard, Sheerness Lifeboat and the South East Coast Ambulance Service all in attendance.
Firefighters used mud paths to reach the trapped couple and bring them to safety.
The man and woman were checked over by paramedics as a precaution but were unharmed.
But then the pair were both fined for breaching coronavirus regulations by Kent Police.
A video released by the force shows an officer telling them: "Obviously you are both going to get Covid tickets for this. It probably comes as no surprise.
"I understand you travelled 37 miles to go for a walk and that's not ended very well for either of you.
"Luckily you're both absolutely fine. Stay safe. Don't do this again. Don't get stuck in the mud."
The couple were among 107 fines issued over the weekend by Kent Police for breaking lockdown restrictions bringing the force's total to 2,165.
A woman who was hiring out off-road bikes received a fixed penalty notice on Sunday after 17 people were found riding on a field in Ashford.
Four people were fined on the same day after two cars were stopped speeding erratically in convoy on the A2070 in Brenzett on their way to the beach.
Assistant Chief Constable Claire Nix, of Kent Police, said: "Whilst a roadmap out of lockdown has been announced we are not yet at the stage where it has been lifted and to achieve the final goal of some normality by 21 June it is important that everyone plays their part and continues to follow the rules.
"This means for the time being, no mixing between households, no parties, refraining from non-essential travel and staying local.
"With new variants of Coronavirus being detected it is crucial that we continue to adhere to the regulations so we can come out the other side of lockdown without unnecessary loss of life.
"While it is encouraging that the infection and death rate is falling, people are still getting ill and sadly losing their lives.
"So please do the right thing as by following the regulations, you are protecting some of the most vulnerable in our community.
"We are all looking forward to the end of restrictions, but we are not quite there yet.
"I would ask people to think carefully about each journey they make and the actions they take as, if we all play our part, we can enjoy the summer with our family and friends that we all looking forward to."
