Moment police order sunbathers off Shepherd's Bush Green and warn that coronavirus lockdown is 'not a holiday'

Luke O'Reilly25 March 2020
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This is the moment police ordered members of the public to stop sunbathing as they warned that the coronavirus lockdown is "not a holiday".

The officers filmed themselves telling people relaxing on Shepherd's Bush Green in west London to "go home".

On Monday, Boris Johnson said tougher restrictions would be enforced on people’s movements and warned those ignoring them would be fined.

Officers will have powers to disperse gatherings under a ban on meetings of more than two people apart from those who live together.

Hoards of Londoners continue to gather in parks during the lockdown 
PA

People flouting coronavirus lockdown rules can also be slapped with an initial £30 fine and could end up in court if they do not pay.

In the video, shared by police on Twitter, the officer is heard saying through a loudspeaker: "You can't stay on the Green. Can you all go home, please?

"It's not a holiday - it's a lockdown. You don't just come here and sunbathe. Can you please just leave?"

He later adds: "Can you please get off the Green. Go home."

Sharing the video on Twitter, police said: "Officers approaching and giving clear advice to those who think sunbathing in groups whilst we have a national health emergency.

Spring Break party in Miami during Coronavirus

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"We will continue to do our best for the public and the@NHSuk. Please don’t just sit in groups."

It comes after the Government launched a recruitment drive for 250,000 volunteers in good health to help vulnerable people, while Matt Hancock announced that an exhibition centre in London will be converted into a new NHS hospital .

The Health Secretary said people are needed to assist with the national effort to tackle coronavirus by shopping, delivering medicines and supporting those who are shielding themselves against Covid-19.

And he confirmed that a temporary hospital, the NHS Nightingale hospital, would be opening at London’s ExCeL centre, with 4,000 beds spread across two wards.

On Tuesday, it was revealed that the number of people who have died in the UK after contracting coronavirus had reached 422 , up from 335 the day before and the largest day-on-day increase in the number of deaths since the outbreak began.

Northern Ireland later said there had been a further two deaths in the region.

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