February 13, 2025
Lockdown in chaos: Drunken flights, rammed beaches and mounds of litter
Health Secretary Matt Hancock warned that the Government had the power to close beaches if social distancing rules were not being observed.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock warned that the Government had the power to close beaches if social distancing rules were not being observed.

A MAJOR incident was declared yesterday after tens of thousands of sun-seekers defied lockdown laws to crowd on to beaches on the hottest day of the year so far.

Councils said they were appalled as drunken fights broke out, the roads were grid-locked for miles and tons of litter was left behind on the sands. The two-metre social distancing rule, meant to be observed by groups of no more than six meeting outside in England, was ignored as day-trippers jostled for patches of beach. The sea was also crammed with people cooling down as temperatures peaked at 92F (33.3C), recorded at Heathrow Airport and higher than Wednesday’s 90.7F (32.6C) at the same site.

Even as far north as Prestwick in Scotland, temperatures reached 86F (30C). But the heat led to tragedies across the UK, including a woman thought to have been in her 50s dying on Worthing beach, West Sussex, yesterday.

An air ambulance landed at the scene but she could not be saved after suffering “a medical episode”, police said.

Two other people, including a 10-year-old boy, died in separate drownings, officers said yesterday.

The boy got into difficulties in Loch Lubnaig on Wednesday afternoon while the body of a man in his 30s was found later on the same day at Lulle Brooke in Cookham, Berks.

Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole council issued an emergency call after admitting their services were “completely overstretched”.

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See Also:

(1) Bournemouth major incident declared: Police urge public to ‘stay away’

(2) STAY AWAY! Thousands ignore coronavirus warning as they flock to beaches – PICTURES

(3) Kate Twist wants some more

(4) Labour at War

(5) Boris Johnson focuses on US satellite agency after UK booted out of EU’s space system