Police stop two large parties on Wales visit

POLICE stopped two large parties of Mancunians visiting beauty spots in north Wales yesterday and then sent them back to England for breaching lockdown rules.

North Wales Live reports that first officers stopped three cars with nine people onboard at Bala, a beautiful lakeside town popular with holidaymakers.

Then they stopped 11 people from the same family on board three other cars at another beauty spot in Anglesey.

On-the-spot fines were dished out and they were all sent back to England.

Welsh government and police leaders stressed on Friday that people travelling from England would be subject to Welsh, not English, coronavirus legislation.

On Wednesday, lockdown rules were eased in England enabling people to drive to other destinations to meet one other person from another household.

But the rules in Wales remain stricter - people there are banned from travelling a ‘significant distance’.

After the first party of Mancs was stopped at South Stack on Anglesey, Chief Officer for the North Wales Police Special Constabulary Mark Owen tweeted: “Unbelievable .... 11 people from Manchester travelling in three different cars thought it would be a good idea to have a day trip to South Stack.

“One family but from different households. Each person prosecuted under Covid legislation @NWPSpecials #StayHomeSaveLives”

Police also swooped in Bala and sent a party of nine people back to Manchester for breaching lockdown rules.

Responding to concern from residents in Bala, officers stopped the occupants of three vehicles and then sent them back to Manchester after dishing out on-the-spot fines.

Yesterday North Wales Police confirmed they had acted when the residents of Bala complained about visitors who had arrived in three cars.

On Friday, Assistant Chief Constable Nigel Harrison, of North Wales Police, said: “The vast majority of people have followed the guidance to stay home, protect the NHS and save lives and I echo the plea of colleagues in Welsh Government and the health service for everyone to continue to do so.”