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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
National
Lorraine King

Police 'fighting a losing battle' enforcing lockdown with bank holiday heatwave

Police have admitted they are 'fighting a losing battle' in east London to clampdown on hundreds of people ignoring the lockdown to picnic in the park.

Officers in Hackney said groups of people have snubbed the Government's order to stay at home instead choosing to enjoy "pizzas, beers, wines" while disregarding social distancing measures.

Hackney Police posted a statement on its official Twitter page alongside an image thought to be of London Fields, saying: "Sadly we're fighting a losing battle in the parks today.

"Literally hundreds of people sitting having pizza, beers, wines. As always a big thank you to those that are observing the guidelines."

Sign up to get the Mirror’s daily coronavirus briefing email at mirror.co.uk/email - in your inbox after the press conference every evening.

Police say they are 'losing a battle' to enforce the lockdown (SplashNews.com)

Temperatures reached a balmy 24C in Heathrow today, compared to just 21C in Nice in the south of France.

The government has begged Britons to stay indoors and avoid an increase in the coronavirus infection rate - but people still poured into the nation's beauty spots to soak up some bank holiday sunshine.

At this afternoon's Downing Street briefing, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps stressed that the advice has not changed and insisted the guidance was for people to remain indoors.

Police in Brighton stopped cars at the end of the A23 to prevent sun-worshippers from visiting the seaside, with locals cheering as tourists were turned away.

People sit in Battersea Park, London in the sunshine (PA)
Police officers in a patrol car keep people moving in Greenwich Park (PA)

One driver who was stopped had travelled 100 miles from Milton Keynes in Buckinghamshire.

And even before 11am, cops had issued 12 fines and turned around 19 cars after stopping around 65.

A spokesman for Sussex Police said: “It’s not a dedicated coronavirus stop-check, but as part of the routine stop-check, we are asking people why they are here, where they are going and turning them around if they do not have a purpose."

Hackney Council closed popular Victoria Park at the beginning of the lockdown after hundreds of people swarmed to the open space just days after they were ordered to stay home.

The news comes as Coastguard said bank holiday was one of their busiest days since the lockdown began as they dealt with more than double the number of call-outs compared to the average day last month.

On Thursday the Government formally extended the lockdown by three more weeks.

Two people play with a ball in the sea at Southend (Spartacus / SplashNews.com)

The extension comes as Prime Minister Boris Johnson will reveal his plans on how the nation will ease out of the lockdown.

Mr Johnson's "roadmap", which aims to get the country back to normal, is staggered over the next six months but he said some steps will happen the next day “if we possibly can”.

Ministers have been urging the UK to stick with social distancing rules this weekend despite the sunny weather and to wait for the PM to set out his plan tomorrow.

Police clear the beaches at Southend-on-Sea in Essex (Spartacus / SplashNews.com)
(FACUNDO ARRIZABALAGA/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock)

Mr Johnson repeated that message this morning as he tweeted: "Thank you for all you are doing to protect our NHS and save lives.

"This bank holiday weekend, please stay at home, so we don't undo everything that's been done so far."

Tory minister Grant Shapps at today's coronavirus briefing today said: "It's vital that we don't throw away essentially the great work of seven weeks of people respecting very impressively the rules and the guidelines by throwing it away because it happens to be sunny outside this weekend, that would be absolutely tragic."

Brits are expected to be able to exercise as much as they like outdoors from Monday.

Employees at businesses that have stayed open throughout the lockdown will be able to return to their workplaces - providing it's safe.

Garden centres could also reopen, while restrictions around open-air markets and high streets could be eased which allow traders resume with guidance from the Government.

They will also issue guidance surrounding funeral burials and visiting cemeteries.

The Government 's draft 50-page blueprint for easing the coronavirus lockdown will be rolled out in five staggered steps between Monday and October.

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