The people who desperately scrambled to get on a train out of London to escape Tier 4 have been described as "totally selfish and irresponsible".
Footage emerged from London St Pancras on Saturday night showing huge crowds of passengers boarding trains in the capital, hours after prime minister Boris Johnson confirmed London would be entering Tier 4 at midnight. One of the trains leaving London was an East Midlands Railway service heading for Leeds.
Health secretary Matt Hancock criticised those involved after a new strain of coronavirus was identified in London and the South East, which is said to be 70 per cent more transmissible than the standard form of Covid-19.
And now LeedsLive readers have given their thoughts on the mass exodus.
Ann Roberts said: "Well done everyone on the train. That's Leeds cases up again then. Tier 4 here we come."
David Hepworth agreed. He said: "That will eventually make Leeds go into Tier 4! I can see it coming."
Carl Windross said: "Totally selfish and irresponsible. [The] same people will cry when another lockdown is announced in a couple of weeks!"
Meanwhile, Kat Scott said people should have thought twice before getting on the train.
"Thanks a million," she said. "Now after all our hardship we are going to get a wonderful rise in the good old 'R' rate.
"If the people had used common sense the country would be in a better predicament than we have found ourselves now."
Joanne Jones thinks the scenes will prompt further restrictions in the New Year.
She said: "I won't be surprised if we get put into full national lockdown Jan & Feb now."
Brenda Dixon said: "Thanks for all you Tier 4 for coming into Tier 3. What don’t you understand?
"Stay at home in your Tier 4, You are not thinking of other people, just yourselves."
However, Cindy Sanderson was more sympathetic with some of the people involved and said that many of those on the train did "nothing wrong".
She said: "If they were travelling before midnight they’ve done nothing wrong. These people are wanting to be with family!
"Do I agree with it? No! I certainly don’t!
"But let’s be fair, [people in] Tier 3 have been travelling to Tier 2 for the sake of a pint and meal out!
"The only way to stop this is to stop people travelling in and out of tiers full stop! But how would it work when some people actually need to commute?"
