Sunday Mirror (Northern Ireland)
PREM STAR IS PROBED OVER PARTY FOR 20
FOOTBALLER Andre Gray is being probed by his club for reportedly breaching lockdown rules by throwing a party.
The Watford striker is said to have had around 20 guests at his home for his 29th birthday bash on Friday.
They are believed to have included fellow Watford player Domingos Quina, who was videoed playing football on an artificial pitch.
Guests could apparently be seen sitting close together in now-deleted posts uploaded to Gray’s Instagram.
Gray got engaged to Little Mix star Leigh-Anne Pinnock, 28, last month but it is not known if she was there.
The do would have broken lockdown rules which allow just six people to meet outside as long as social distancing of two metres is observed. It would also be a breach of Premier League rules designed to allow football to return behind closed doors. Players have been told to stay in their family groups to avoid the risk of infecting teammates.
The gathering was thought to have taken place the day after Watford lost to Burnley and two days before they take on Southampton today. Furious Watford fans last night blasted Gray and Quina, 20, on social media.
Paul Mathews said: “If only someone had given Andre Gray a brain for his birthday.” Season ticket holder Rich added: “So Andre Gray decides rules don’t apply to him.”
Jacob Culshaw said: “Incredible that Andre Gray decided to post a video to his 171,000 followers of a 20-person gathering and thought it was absolutely fine. Baffled.”
Gray, who signed for Watford for a then club record £18.5million fee in 2017, would not be the first top footballer to break lockdown rules.
Man City and England star Kyle Walker did so three times in 24 hours including a party with two call girls.
Previously Gray, who has a fourinch scar on his cheek from being stabbed in a 2011 gang-related incident, was charged with misconduct by the FA over homophobic tweets.
Gray’s club said: “Watford FC is aware of social media posts which suggest two players contravened Government lockdown protocols. The club will fully investigate.”
CAMPERS who break lockdown by staying overnight in the Lake District are being shamed by police.
Officers fined offenders and ordered them to leave and not return before a ban on overnight stays is lifted next weekend.
And they posted photos online with the campers’ faces obscured by emoji cartoons.
Illegal campers have been a blight on the area since Easter.
On one day last month 16 groups were hit with £100 penalties.
Some locals have called for the fines to be increased to £1,000 – saying they are no deterrent.
Cases: Deaths:
310,250 (up 890) 43,514 (up 100)
Cases: 9,992,939 (up Deaths: 498,816 (up
THERE have been no coronavirus deaths for two days running in Scotland, officials said yesterday.
Saturday’s figures showed no one died in the previous 24 hours among people who had tested positive for the virus, and there were 15 new cases.
The country’s death toll is 2,482. A total of 456 Covid-19 patients were in Scottish hospitals, of which five were in intensive care, plus 11 suspected of having the virus.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: “Right now, Scotland is beating this virus – but only through our collective efforts.”