Jogger stopped by Covid marshal for 'breathing heavily' during lockdown exercise

A jogger says he was stopped by a Covid marshal while on his permitted hour-a-day exercise - because he was "breathing heavily".

Gary Purnell was running along the River Thames in London, on his own when he says he was stopped.

He was told marshals were advising people not to run there under new measures - and that his breathing was too heavy.

The furious author insisted he was doing nothing wrong and was following Government advice.

Gary then confronted a supervisor and branded the advice as the "craziest" thing ever.

Has you been stopped while out exercising? Let us know in the comments below.

The marshal told Gary he was "breathing heavily" (Gary Purnell Twitter)

He was out running at Hammersmith, West London when he was stopped, and decided to film the confrontation, which he then posted online.

In his first conversation with the marshal when he was stopped, he said: "So why can't I run along here? Explain why we can't run?"

The marshal then says: "Because you are breathing heavily."

Baffled Gary adds: "I'm breathing heavily? You don't have to wear a mask outside. In the Government it doesn't say I can't run."

He responds: "I can't stop you, I can only tell you that you can't."

He later spoke to a supervisor (Gary Purnell Twitter)

Gary continues: "So you're telling me I cannot run along here, along the waterfront where everyone is walking. And you stopped me to tell me that I need a mask."

Painting the muddled picture of the rules, the marshal adds: "Not a mask."

Gary claims the marshal then advised that 'new rules' stated people could not run in the area.

The runner replies: "Where did the announcement say that I cannot run? The Government said I'm allowed one hour a day exercise. And you are stopping me from running."

In the second clip, which he posted on Twitter, Gary confronts the man's supervisor.

He was told that under new measures, the marshals were advising people not to jog there (Gary Purnell Twitter)

He requests an explanation as to why he has been told he is not allowed to run.

The supervisor is heard adding: "You can run, it's not a problem. What it is is when the people pass you by."

Taking to Twitter, Gary: "I was just stopped in London, along the Thames. I was just simply running - daily exercise - when a Covid marshal decided to stop me for running, and for breathing heavily."

Police are said to be discussing with the government how to tighten exercise rules while infections remain at a high level.