Britons continue to break lockdown rules to lie in the sun despite warnings

Published on : Monday, April 6, 2020

The warm weather has proven to be too tempting for the British people, many of whom have flouted coronavirus lockdown rules by flocking to parks for sunbathing. The photos have emerged of dozens of people sunbathing, some in large groups, despite repeated warnings from authorities not to do so.

The temperatures over the weekend are among the warmest recorded so far this year, but the public has been urged by authorities not to be tempted to flout the rules and be out of their homes for longer than necessary.

After 3,000 people visited Brockwell Park, in south London, on Saturday, Lambeth Council made the decision to close the park as the number of people who were sunbathing was “unacceptable”.

The council said that they are sorry to take this decision. This wouldn’t need to happen if people followed the clear instructions from the government. They are doing this for the wider safety of the public. The parks are not the only public area having trouble with a large volume of people. Epping Forest tweeted they have had to close their car parks “due to overcrowding”.

It said that police are redirecting cars to go home and stay local. The Forest is still open for locally-based exercise if you access on foot or bicycle.

On Sunday morning, Health Secretary Matt Hancock warned the public that the government has been “absolutely clear” that no one should be going outside unless it is for medical reasons, to buy food, to go to work or to exercise.