Easter Sunday sunbathers ignore coronavirus lockdown measures

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The Great FLOUT-doors! Britons head to the parks and beaches to soak up 73F heat despite lockdown – while councils are forced to shut cemeteries to clamp down on Easter mourners laying flowers

  • Shocking pictures show sunbathers lying in London parks as people head to beaches and green spots  
  • Easter Sunday sees more sunbathers and walkers flout lockdown rules with temperature in the mid 20s 
  • Councils are closing cemeteries to stop families gathering in large groups to lay flowers and pay respects
  • Sunbathers spotted in Greenwich, Lambeth and Battersea parks as weekend of warm weather continues 
  • Coastguard found scuba diver fishing at Brighton pier on Saturday night after people visited parks and cliffs 

By Luke May For Mailonline

Published: | Updated:

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Parks and beaches are once again filling up with people flouting lockdown rules by sunbathing – as councils have been forced to shut cemeteries to stop Easter mourners gathering to lay flowers.

Shocking pictures have shown sunbathers lounging on the grass around London including at Battersea Park. 

Councils closed cemeteries ahead of Easter to stop mourners gathering and laying flowers over the Holy weekend.

Away from London, beaches are far quieter than normal Bank Holiday weekend, but a minority continue to head out for walks along the shore. It comes after the coastguard was called out to a scuba diver who was caught fishing under Brighton Pier on Saturday night.

Revellers are returning to Beachy Head after groups were seen standing on the edge of the cliff in the sunshine on Saturday.

Politicians and nurses have repeatedly pleaded with the country to stay indoors and protect the NHS, but the spring heat wave has seen a small group of people, now being referred to online as #Covidiots, ignoring advice.

As of yesterday there were 78,991 coronavirus cases reported in the UK and at least 9,875 deaths.

Sunbathers are starting to gather on the grass at Battersea Park, including this relaxing reader who had stopped after riding his bike to the London park on Sunday morning. NHS nurses and doctors have repeatedly pleaded with the public to stay indoors unless absolutely necessary

This group could be seen sitting in the sun on top of Primrose Hill on Sunday morning. Groups are not allowed to gather outside, unless they were all from the same household. The public has repeatedly been told not to meet with friends and family during the global pandemic, as Britain tries to slow the spread of the killer disease

This group could be seen sitting in the sun on top of Primrose Hill on Sunday morning. Groups are not allowed to gather outside, unless they were all from the same household. The public has repeatedly been told not to meet with friends and family during the global pandemic, as Britain tries to slow the spread of the killer disease

Police are out patrolling parks and open spaces once again on Sunday as people head out to enjoy the spring sunshine. More than 1.5million people have been infected with coronavirus to date worldwide and Britain hopes is the lockdown measures will slow the spread of the disease

Police are out patrolling parks and open spaces once again on Sunday as people head out to enjoy the spring sunshine. More than 1.5million people have been infected with coronavirus to date worldwide and Britain hopes is the lockdown measures will slow the spread of the disease

A busy Victoria Park on Easter Sunday is making it difficult for people to stay two metres apart - the recommended distance to try and slow the spread of coronavirus. Joggers are seen running topless in the park alongside walkers

A busy Victoria Park on Easter Sunday is making it difficult for people to stay two metres apart – the recommended distance to try and slow the spread of coronavirus. Joggers are seen running topless in the park alongside walkers 

When can I leave the house during the coronavirus lockdown? 

There are four key circumstances in which people can leave the home: 1) Shopping for basic essentials, which should be done as infrequently as possible. 2) To exercise, no more than once a day. 3) Any medical reason, such as attending a hospital appointment or to provide care for a vulnerable person. 4) To travel to and from work, but only if you cannot work from home.

CAN I EXERCISE WITH OTHERS?

Only with members of your own household. So you could go for a run with your partner or a walk with your children. But you should not meet up with friends for a kickabout or a jog.

WHAT ABOUT GOING TO THE PARK?

Parks are still open – for now. But people must stay away from others. Ministers were horrified by pictures of packed parks and beaches last weekend so they are carefully monitoring their use. Places within parks where people could congregate have been closed – including playgrounds, outdoor gyms and tennis courts. But wider parklands have been kept open.

CAN I USE MY ALLOTMENT?

Yes. Ministers have confirmed using allotments counts as exercise – and they form a good space for social distancing if people stick to their own plot.

CAN I GO FOR A BIKE RIDE?

Yes. Bike shops have been given permission to stay open and cycling counts as a form of exercise. It is also a lower-risk form of commuting for key workers than getting on a bus or train. But people should not go for a ride with friends – if you are using it as a leisure activity only do so with someone from your own household

CAN I WALK MY DOG?

Yes. Dog walking is permitted as part of the one form of exercise people can take a day. Households with two or more people can take it in turns to walk their dog so the family pet is given more than one walk a day. 

Another sunbather chills out in the grounds of Battersea Park on a warm Easter Sunday morning in London

Another sunbather chills out in the grounds of Battersea Park on a warm Easter Sunday morning in London

People are still heading to Beachy Head in Eastbourne on Sunday. People are allowed to go out for a walk as part of their daily exercise for a single hour

People are still heading to Beachy Head in Eastbourne on Sunday. People are allowed to go out for a walk as part of their daily exercise for a single hour

Another group is seen lounging on the grasss in Battersea Park on Easter Sunday. People have been advised to stay two metres apart and not to see any friends or family, in a bid to try and stop Covid-19 spreading around the country

Another group is seen lounging on the grasss in Battersea Park on Easter Sunday. People have been advised to stay two metres apart and not to see any friends or family, in a bid to try and stop Covid-19 spreading around the country

A family can be seen walking along the beach in Eastbourne for a Sunday morning stroll. Beaches are looking emptier this morning following recent weekends when the public took it upon themselves to ignore social distancing rules and head outside to enjoy the sun

A family can be seen walking along the beach in Eastbourne for a Sunday morning stroll. Beaches are looking emptier this morning following recent weekends when the public took it upon themselves to ignore social distancing rules and head outside to enjoy the sun

People have been told not to go for a bike ride with friends, if you're doing it for exercise in a group it should only be with people in the same household. Members of the public have also been advised to stay two metres apart, as this group appears to be trying to do in Battersea Park on Sunday

People have been told not to go for a bike ride with friends, if you’re doing it for exercise in a group it should only be with people in the same household. Members of the public have also been advised to stay two metres apart, as this group appears to be trying to do in Battersea Park on Sunday

Battersea Park in south west London was filling up with people jogging, walking and cycling on Sunday morning. Government advice states people are allowed to head out for one hour's exercise a day, but some people have been taking advantage of the daily allowance

Battersea Park in south west London was filling up with people jogging, walking and cycling on Sunday morning. Government advice states people are allowed to head out for one hour’s exercise a day, but some people have been taking advantage of the daily allowance

The coastguard was called out to Brighton pier after a scuba diver was spotted fishing on Saturday night

Sunbathers were lazing around on the green grass of Lambeth Park on Sunday morning

One scuba diver was caught fishing underneath Brighton Palace Pier on Saturday night, while sunbathers are still heading to Lambeth Park on Sunday morning

Cyclists take a break in Battersea Park on Sunday morning. Britain is coming to the end of its third week of lockdown today, but people continue to flout guidelines set out by the PM Boris Johnson to stay indoors

Cyclists take a break in Battersea Park on Sunday morning. Britain is coming to the end of its third week of lockdown today, but people continue to flout guidelines set out by the PM Boris Johnson to stay indoors 

Council workers in Greenwich have already to tell people to stop sunbathing at Oxleas Woods in south east London on Sunday morning. It follows a similar spat of revellers heading to parks on Saturday to take advantage of the unseasonable sunshine

Council workers in Greenwich have already to tell people to stop sunbathing at Oxleas Woods in south east London on Sunday morning. It follows a similar spat of revellers heading to parks on Saturday to take advantage of the unseasonable sunshine

 

PCSOs were out on Brighton's seafront on Sunday morning as they prepare to spend their shifts keeping an eye out for anyone flouting lockdown rules. The beach was left almost totally empty on Sunday as Britons begin to accept lockdown rules

PCSOs were out on Brighton’s seafront on Sunday morning as they prepare to spend their shifts keeping an eye out for anyone flouting lockdown rules. The beach was left almost totally empty on Sunday as Britons begin to accept lockdown rules 

Eastbourne beach on the south coast is deserted this morning (Sunday) as Britons listen to advice to stay indoors and stop the spread of Covid-19

Eastbourne beach on the south coast is deserted this morning (Sunday) as Britons listen to advice to stay indoors and stop the spread of Covid-19

A cyclist rides a bike along an empty road near Beachy Head, close to Eastbourne, on Sunday morning. While a minority of people continue to ignore lockdown rules, the public is generally adhering to government guidelines to stay indoors except for essential travel

A cyclist rides a bike along an empty road near Beachy Head, close to Eastbourne, on Sunday morning. While a minority of people continue to ignore lockdown rules, the public is generally adhering to government guidelines to stay indoors except for essential travel