Britons flout lockdown rules by camping out at UK’s seaside resorts

Day trippers last night ignored lockdown rules as they slept over at seaside resorts, raising fears a surge in crowds could trigger a second wave of coronavirus infections and force the government to abandon its plans for a return to normal life. 

Visitors were seen camped out in Brighton and at various beauty spots in Devon and Cornwall, with locals blasting ‘selfish’ revellers for partying into the night and leaving rubbish strewn across roads and open spaces. 

Meanwhile, police in Newquay carried out ‘dawn raids’ on campervans to order those inside to go home, as closed car parks led to gridlock on the roads.  

It came as new figures showed coronavirus is still infecting 61,000 people a week, although the true figure could be as high as 111,000. 

Another major study found less than half of 19 to 30-year-olds are ‘strictly’ abiding by Britain’s lockdown rules, while among adults the figure has dropped from 70 per cent to under 60 per cent in the last fortnight. 

Scenes of beaches in Brighton, Bournemouth and Durdle Door in Dorset packed with sunseekers enjoying temperatures of up to 82F sparked a backlash, with one man saying: ‘It’s madness, it’s like everyone’s forgotten about coronavirus.’ 

Richard Walden, 55, of Woolacombe, Devon, took a picture from his house showing gridlocked traffic snaking back as far as the eye could see, and said: ‘Unbelievably selfish people started arriving at 5am and last night we had vans outside our house until 11pm. They are not just casual visitors.’ 

People drinking into the night on Bournemouth beach. Two men were seen fighting on the sand and several couples were making out in front of friends on the sand, while others were feeling worse for wear after a day in the sun 

Images from last night have emerged of large numbers of friends and family members all eating and drinking together well into the evening down on the beach at Bournemouth

Images from last night have emerged of large numbers of friends and family members all eating and drinking together well into the evening down on the beach at Bournemouth 

People drinking into the night on Bournemouth beach. Two men were seen fighting on the sand and several couples were making out in front of friends on the sand, while others were feeling worse for wear after a day in the sun

People drinking into the night on Bournemouth beach. Two men were seen fighting on the sand and several couples were making out in front of friends on the sand, while others were feeling worse for wear after a day in the sun

Images from last night have emerged of large numbers of friends and family members all eating and drinking together well into the evening down on the beach at Bournemouth

Images from last night have emerged of large numbers of friends and family members all eating and drinking together well into the evening down on the beach at Bournemouth

Police were enforcing lockdown after visitors were found in camper vans in Newquay last night

Police were enforcing lockdown after visitors were found in camper vans in Newquay last night

Police launch dawn raids on camper vans and tents that have stayed overnight in Cornwall

Police launch dawn raids on camper vans and tents that have stayed overnight in Cornwall

Police were enforcing lockdown after visitors stayed in camper vans in Newquay last night

Police were enforcing lockdown after visitors stayed in camper vans in Newquay last night 

In another day of twists and turns, it emerged:  

  • The coronavirus is still infecting 61,000 people per week in England, the Office of National Statistics said;
  • The true figure could be as high as 111,000 people every seven days or as low as 29,000, the data shows;
  • Around 0.25 per cent of the population is believed to be infected with the virus right now – around 137,500 people;
  • Proportion has dropped by a tiny amount in the past week, from 0.27 per cent last Thursday, according to the Office for National Statistics;
  • Meanwhile, a study of 90,000 by University College London found less than half of 19- to 30-year-olds are abiding by all the terms of the lockdown;
  • Researchers said there had been a drop off in confidence in the Government since it switched its stance from ‘stay at home’ to the more ambiguous ‘stay alert’ on May 10. 

Sunseekers flouting the rules were given the early-morning wake-up by police and sent packing amid growing anger at the ‘selfishness’ of visitors.  

Newquay police tweeted: ‘#StayAtHomeAndStaySafe #Covid_19 #coronavirusuk We identified some visitors that had travelled to Newquay and stayed overnight against PHE advice and legislation. With engagement, explanation & education they moved on. We love visitors to the town, #comebacklater’. 

Newquay police tweeted: ‘#StayAtHomeAndStaySafe #Covid_19 #coronavirusuk We identified some visitors that had travelled to Newquay and stayed overnight against PHE advice and legislation. With engagement, explanation & education they moved on. We love visitors to the town, #comebacklater’. 

Residents of Devon holiday hotspots have told of their anger as tourist continue to flock to popular beaches despite appeals to stay away.

The beach-front at Woolacombe was packed before 9am today, with more cars and campervans pouring into the north Devon seaside village by the hour.

Some visitors had spent the night at the surf resort, with one surfer relaxing in his camper van this morning while another made himself breakfast. 

Newquay police said 'we identified some visitors that had travelled to Newquay and stayed overnight against PHE advice and legislation. With engagement, explanation & education they moved on. We love visitors to the town, #comebacklater'

Newquay police said ‘we identified some visitors that had travelled to Newquay and stayed overnight against PHE advice and legislation. With engagement, explanation & education they moved on. We love visitors to the town, #comebacklater’ 

A Brighton local complained of camper vans parked overnight after scores of people rushed to the seaside yesterday

A Brighton local complained of camper vans parked overnight after scores of people rushed to the seaside yesterday

Images from last night have emerged of large numbers of friends and family members all eating and drinking together well into the evening down on the beach at Bournemouth

Images from last night have emerged of large numbers of friends and family members all eating and drinking together well into the evening down on the beach at Bournemouth

Images from last night have emerged of large numbers of friends and family members all eating and drinking together well into the evening down on the beach at Bournemouth

Images from last night have emerged of large numbers of friends and family members all eating and drinking together well into the evening down on the beach at Bournemouth

One resident told MailOnline: ‘There are even people staying over night. The government has told people they can go for day trips – not stay overnight!

‘These people just don’t seem to care about anyone else.’ 

Another resident, a 32-year-old surfer, said: ‘Woolacombe is reeling from the aftermath of yesterday and today the beachfront parking is already full.

‘The rubbish bins were already full by 9.30 am and people have even left bags of poo outside the public toilets because they are shut!

‘The village is closed. The red barn surf bar is closed. But tourists are wandering around the village complaining that everything is closed.’

They added: ‘It’s like they have forgotten we are in the middle of a pandemic!’

Cllr Andrea Davis of Devon County Council, tweeted: ‘Please note the car parks in Woolacombe are NOT open, the loos not open, the cafes not open.

‘Please consider all these facts before visiting. Yesterday there was chaos and we will be ticketing any illegal parking’. 

There was anger from locals in the Lizard in Cornwall that some visitors set up tents and stayed overnight in vans in ‘blatant disregard’ to public safety.  

Cllr Andrea Davis of Devon County Council, tweeted: 'Please note the car parks in Woolacombe are NOT open, the loos not open, the cafes not open'

Cllr Andrea Davis of Devon County Council, tweeted: ‘Please note the car parks in Woolacombe are NOT open, the loos not open, the cafes not open’

A camper van was spotted parked up on the side roads around the sandbanks of Poole, Dorset

A camper van was spotted parked up on the side roads around the sandbanks of Poole, Dorset 

A camper van was spotted parked up on the side roads around the sandbanks of Poole, Dorset

A camper van was spotted parked up on the side roads around the sandbanks of Poole, Dorset

A Nottingham local complained of the 'appalling amount of rubbish at Colwick Country Park' this morning

A Nottingham local complained of the ‘appalling amount of rubbish at Colwick Country Park’ this morning

Waste was strewn across Britain's parks last night and this morning after Britons flocked to beauty spots for day-drinking

Waste was strewn across Britain’s parks last night and this morning after Britons flocked to beauty spots for day-drinking

One resident complained of picking up trash after rubbish bags full of cans of beers were flung across the park

One resident complained of picking up trash after rubbish bags full of cans of beers were flung across the park

Locals say several tents and vans have been found staying overnight at various spots around the village and nearby Kynance.

It included sightings of tents at Pistol Meadow, near the former wireless station and at Pentreath, with vans also seen staying overnight in the National Trust car park for the lighthouse and on land adjoining the Kynance car park. 

Janice Thirlaway-Price said many residents were angry at the apparent flouting of government lockdown rules, which continue to ban overnight stays even after the easing of some measures last Wednesday.

She said: ‘The main thing thing is the blatant disregard of government guidelines and lack of consideration for our community.

‘There are no facilities open, so nowhere to go to the toilet for ten miles – Tesco or Sainsbury’s – which leads to the dangers of human waste in and around the footpaths local people are using for their daily exercise.’ 

She added that such actions potentially added an extra drain on emergency services and pointed out that beaches were not currently being patrolled, which could cause problems for people unaware of the dangers of currents and tides. 

The police kept an eye on people who were drinking most of the afternoon and into the evening, though lots of empty booze bottles were strewn across Wandsworth Common in south-west London after a day of drinking

The police kept an eye on people who were drinking most of the afternoon and into the evening, though lots of empty booze bottles were strewn across Wandsworth Common in south-west London after a day of drinking

Waste was scattered across parks in London and Nottingham and beaches last night, causing residents to get their hands dirty and move much of the rubbish along

Waste was scattered across parks in London and Nottingham and beaches last night, causing residents to get their hands dirty and move much of the rubbish along

People drinking into the night on Wandsworth Common. The police kept an eye on people who were drinking most of the afternoon and into the evening, though lots of empty booze bottles were strewn across the common

People drinking into the night on Wandsworth Common. The police kept an eye on people who were drinking most of the afternoon and into the evening, though lots of empty booze bottles were strewn across the common

‘There is the increased risk of spreading Covid-19 and the impact it will have on Treliske and our local doctors,’ she said. ‘Various footpaths around the village make it impossible to maintain a two metre distance.’

The National Trust said that people should not be staying overnight on National Trust land at any time, and particularly now in light of the coronavirus rules.

A spokesperson said: ‘People shouldn’t be doing that anyway, let alone on National Trust Land, and anyone seeing it should be alerting their local police on 101.’ 

In Brighton, locals complained of camper vans being parked overnight, prompting outrage and disbelief that people are continually flouting lockdown rules.

One person said that day-trippers stayed overnight and then rushed down to Brighton seaside this morning, writing on social media: ‘Where I parked up in Brighton last night, I had three camper vans behind me & two caravans. 

‘I went to bed around 12 & they were still there, but woke up this morning and the caravans had gone. All of the said vehicles had children in. 

‘Looks like they will be heading to the beach, whilst I am working. Surely people aren’t that thick, that they don’t know the rules.’

In Nottingham, people walking in Colwick Country Park today complained of an ‘appalling amount of rubbish’ include two BBQ trays lying near geese and goslings. 

 This morning, Dr Hilary Jones of Good Morning Britain (GMB) slammed lockdown flouters as ‘making a mockery’ of procedures to stop the spread of coronavirus. 

He said: ‘How, if you test positive for Covid-19, and a contact tracer says ‘where have you been in the last few days’ and you say ‘I was on the beach in Bournemouth or Southend-on-Sea amongst those crowds, who do you know who was next to you?

‘You can’t possibly trace people, and that’s the problem isn’t it? 

‘So when people start flouting social distancing rules, and we go out and lockdown in this kind of way, you can’t trace those people.’  

Visitors flock to Durdle Door in Dorset on a scorching day with sunbathers packed together, despite social distancing rules

Visitors flock to Durdle Door in Dorset on a scorching day with sunbathers packed together, despite social distancing rules

Faye Faybourne, 17 (left), and Daisy Sloane, 16, in Tynemouth yesterday, as people flocked to parks and beaches amid 82F temperatures and eased lockdown restrictions

Faye Faybourne, 17 (left), and Daisy Sloane, 16, in Tynemouth yesterday, as people flocked to parks and beaches amid 82F temperatures and eased lockdown restrictions  

Responding to the relaxation of lockdown, leaders in Devon and Cornwall warned second home owners and tourists to ‘think twice’ before visiting the region.    

Councils and tourism bodies encouraged people not to travel more than an hour from their local area to enjoy the outdoors and to avoid popular tourist locations, as the region’s car parks, toilets and hotspots remain closed.

One officer said ‘valuable resources’ were being used to marshal traffic, adding elderly people would be ‘very anxious over the selfish actions of these individuals’.

Devon and Cornwall Police said traffic was ‘exceptionally busy’ yesterday, with officers reporting that every set of double yellow lines across a mile stretch of beach had been parked on as several car parks were closed to control numbers. 

There were reports some traffic wardens had even run out of tickets. 

Pictures of tourists flocking to beaches and lying close to one another in Southend, Bournemouth, Margate and Brighton sparked backlash, with one man saying: ‘It’s madness, it’s like everyone’s forgotten about coronavirus.’  

Southend beach was absolutely packed this afternoon as sun-worshipping Britons turned out to soak up the rays on what is predicted to be the hottest day of the year so far, according to the Met Office

Southend beach was absolutely packed this afternoon as sun-worshipping Britons turned out to soak up the rays on what is predicted to be the hottest day of the year so far, according to the Met Office

Sorrell Vince, 23 (right) from Northampton and Bethany Heatley (left) from Preston enjoying the sun on Cullercoats Beach, Tynemouth yesterday

Sorrell Vince, 23 (right) from Northampton and Bethany Heatley (left) from Preston enjoying the sun on Cullercoats Beach, Tynemouth yesterday

Yesterday, car parks were crammed as sun worshippers visited Sandbanks in Poole, Dorset, as parking restrictions were lifted in many areas several days ago, while vehicles clogged up country lanes at a popular tourist spot in Devon, forcing police to block off roads and warn people to stay away. 

LBC’s Charlotte Sullivan tweeted: ‘More people arriving in Southend today. It almost looks like any other hot day here apart from the dots on the floor to mark out where to stand in the queue for ice creams. 

‘One man told me ‘it’s madness, it’s like everyone’s forgotten about coronavirus’. Another social media user posted: ‘The state of Southend beach today like that is ridiculous, how have people not been told to leave?’

A third added: ‘Southend beach at lunchtime on what’s heading for the hottest day of the year. Technically you’re allowed to travel somewhere and to sunbathe – but this is the result when so many choose the same place…’ 

The Met Office is forecasting a change in weather from today which will see temperatures drip a little from the 82F recorded in parts of the country.

Nicola Maxey of the Met Office told MailOnline:  ‘Tomorrow we’ll start seeing with this low-pressure system travelling up from the Atlantic some bands of cloud and rain from the west, pushing eastwards across west and north-west Scotland and affecting potentially parts of north-west England. 

‘But it sort of weakens and fragments as it pushes across country. 

‘We are going to see showers and isolated thunderstorms possibly in the south-east where it stays warm, which makes the air a little bit unstable and there may be a chance you see the odd thunderstorm.’ 

Locals said some visitors lost their temper in the heat as they became stuck in traffic jams waiting for a space in a car park and fights had to be broken up by police.

One resident of the village told MailOnline: ‘It was complete chaos. 

‘Cars were parking on double yellow lines and no stopping routes. Buses couldn’t get through and had to cancel their trips.  

Roads and car parks were crammed full as parking restrictions were lifted several days ago and thousands of people flocked to Sandbanks in Poole, Dorset, on the hottest day of the year so far

Roads and car parks were crammed full as parking restrictions were lifted several days ago and thousands of people flocked to Sandbanks in Poole, Dorset, on the hottest day of the year so far 

Residents and tourists enjoy the warm weather hitting Kent as Britain is set for the hottest day of the year so far. Sun seekers flocked to Margate to soak up the rays on Wednesday with surrounding roads packed with cars

Residents and tourists enjoy the warm weather hitting Kent as Britain is set for the hottest day of the year so far. Sun seekers flocked to Margate to soak up the rays on Wednesday with surrounding roads packed with cars 

These three women enjoyed the sun as they lounged with drinks on Primrose Hill in London on Wednesday, with sun-seekers all over the country taking advantage of Boris Johnson's easing of restrictions

These three women enjoyed the sun as they lounged with drinks on Primrose Hill in London on Wednesday, with sun-seekers all over the country taking advantage of Boris Johnson’s easing of restrictions

People soak up the rays at Bournemouth beach in Dorset, as Britons flock to parks and beaches as lockdown is eased

People soak up the rays at Bournemouth beach in Dorset, as Britons flock to parks and beaches as lockdown is eased

Hundreds of people took day trips to Southend as the temperatures hit 27 degrees on Wednesday after parking restrictions were lifted

Hundreds of people took day trips to Southend as the temperatures hit 27 degrees on Wednesday after parking restrictions were lifted

Sunbathers enjoy the hot weather in Hyde Park, London, as easing of the coronavirus lockdown continues. There is a risk of thunderstorms later today in east and south-east England

Sunbathers enjoy the hot weather in Hyde Park, London, as easing of the coronavirus lockdown continues. There is a risk of thunderstorms later today in east and south-east England

People enjoy the sunshine in Broadway Market, Hackney, north east London on Wednesday, on what was the hottest day of the year so far

People enjoy the sunshine in Broadway Market, Hackney, north east London on Wednesday, on what was the hottest day of the year so far

Broadway Market in Hackney, north east London was packed on Wednesday, as people flocked to parks and shops to enjoy the sunshine

Broadway Market in Hackney, north east London was packed on Wednesday, as people flocked to parks and shops to enjoy the sunshine

Tourists and residents queuing while waiting to get into a Tesco Express at Sandbanks beach in Dorset, appearing not to adhere to social distancing rules and standing closer than 6.5ft (2m) apart

Tourists and residents queuing while waiting to get into a Tesco Express at Sandbanks beach in Dorset, appearing not to adhere to social distancing rules and standing closer than 6.5ft (2m) apart

People sat close together on a busy Sandbanks beach in Dorset on Wednesday, as beach goers appear to ignore social distancing rules

People sat close together on a busy Sandbanks beach in Dorset on Wednesday, as beach goers appear to ignore social distancing rules

People sunbathe on a beach in Brighton on Wednesday, as lockdown restrictions have been relaxed, allowing unlimited outdoor exercise and activities such as sunbathing

People sunbathe on a beach in Brighton on Wednesday, as lockdown restrictions have been relaxed, allowing unlimited outdoor exercise and activities such as sunbathing

Britons flock to Bournemouth beach in Dorset with many seen sitting close together, despite social distancing guidelines still in force as the coronavirus lockdown is gradually eased

Britons flock to Bournemouth beach in Dorset with many seen sitting close together, despite social distancing guidelines still in force as the coronavirus lockdown is gradually eased 

‘The emergency services were unable to operate and the Coast Guard could not even get to the beach. Surfers were having to act as rescuers for people who got into difficulty. It was complete madness.’

The main car park on the Esplanade in Woolacombe was full by 9am. With no other designated parking places visitors left their cars in small country roads. 

Meanwhile, Barnstaple Police tweeted: ‘Traffic wardens are running out of tickets. 

‘Do not abandon your cars as emergency vehicles can’t get though. They will be towed away. The traffic heading to the North Devon beaches is exceptionally busy. The beach car parks are now closed for new traffic… please avoid the area.’

Richard Walden, 55, of Woolacombe, Devon, said yesterday: ‘It is unbelievable the amount of thoughtless visitors we have had, parking illegally and causing the roads to be blocked and preventing use of the footpath.

‘They blocked the whole footpath. There is no way a fire engine or ambulance could get down that. It is totally senseless. People sadly haven’t heeded the warnings, especially the ones from the lifeguard and RNLI. There was a big powerful surf out there today but no lifeguards, If anyone gets into trouble, they are on their own. 

A police car pictured at Woolacombe in North Devon as chaos broke out in the area, with locals saying some visitors lost their temper in the sweltering heat as they became stuck in traffic jams while waiting for a space in the car park

A police car pictured at Woolacombe in North Devon as chaos broke out in the area, with locals saying some visitors lost their temper in the sweltering heat as they became stuck in traffic jams while waiting for a space in the car park

A massive queue of cars trails back down the country lane in Woolacombe, Devon. Buses were unable to pass and traffic became gridlocked leading to frayed tempers in the sweltering heat

A massive queue of cars trails back down the country lane in Woolacombe, Devon. Buses were unable to pass and traffic became gridlocked leading to frayed tempers in the sweltering heat

‘It was unbelievable selfish. People started arriving at 5am and last night we had vans outside our house until 11pm. They are not just casual visitors.’

Throughout the day visitors attempted to use the public toilets, but on finding they were closed one desperate woman attempted to kick open the door. 

One local said: ‘People were literally dumping their cars anywhere and heading to the beach. The village is happy to welcome visitors but once the spaces are all taken, unfortunately visitors seemed to lose their minds.

‘There is not really any social distancing and we saw a young lady trying to kick a toilet door off its hinges as they were closed. Also, there is only a Londis and a Newsagent open in the village.

A spokesperson for Woolacombe Tourist Information said: ‘We had hoped that people would be considerate to the local coastal communities so are very disappointed by the influx.’

By midday lfracombe and Braunton police reported the coast roads were ‘gridlocked’ and urged people not to travel to North Devon.