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Edinburgh Live
Edinburgh Live
National
Alasdair Clark

Crowds flock to Edinburgh's Portobello beach as sun comes out for lockdown easing

Crowds have flocked to Portobello beach in Edinburgh this weekend to enjoy the sun as lockdown eased.

Pictures from Portobello promenade show hundreds of locals gathered but with little social distancing in place.

Pictures from Good Friday show local families gathered on the prom eating their lunch, whilst others from Saturday show even more taking advantage of the relaxed rules.

From yesterday people were able to head out more often and visit local beauty spots, but Police Scotland urged people to act with care.

We'll have all the latest coronavirus news this weekend from Edinburgh and beyond on our live blog.

Chief Superintendent Sean Scott, Divisional Commander for Edinburgh, said: "The coronavirus regulations have had a significant impact on our lives and I would like to thank the vast majority of people who are sticking to the rules and doing the right thing to avoid the spread of the virus as we move through the easing of restrictions.

"People should not travel outwith their local authority area except for essential purposes. While Easter weekend is traditionally a time for visiting friends and family, I would urge people to stay local and follow the regulations on gatherings.

"If you are visiting beauty spots within your local area, do so safely and respectfully – leaving no trace of your visit. Please also park responsibly to allow emergency access.

Crowds at Portobello beach on Saturday. (Edinburgh Live)

"Our approach throughout the pandemic has been to engage with the public, explain the legislation and encourage compliance, but we will not hesitate to use our enforcement powers as a last resort."

It comes after Scots were urged to take and avoid risking the reversal of lockdown progress by sticking to the rules.

Scotland recorded nearly 400 new cases of the virus on Saturday, with no new deaths in the previous 24 hours.

Scotland's chief medical officer Dr Gregor Smith has previously warned that large gatherings over the Easter weekend could reverse recent progress in suppressing the virus.

Locals flocked to Portobello beach as the restrictions eased (Ross Turpie/Daily Record)

On Thursday, he said: "We can see by looking at Europe and other parts of the world how fragile our own position is.

"It remains imperative that we abide by the rules, we stay local and we look after each other."

Travel out-with council areas is still largely prohibited, while outdoor meetings between adults are limited to four people from two households.

Saturday's figures mean the death toll under the daily measurement - of people who first tested positive for the virus within the previous 28 days - remains at 7,614.

The Scottish Government is only publishing updates on certain data during the Easter break and the remaining daily statistics - such as hospital and intensive care figures - will be updated on Tuesday.

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