Crowds head to beaches and moors

VISITORS flocked to beaches and beauty spots around the Westcountry to enjoy sunshine over the weekend despite the lockdown.

Scores of people were seen strolling along the seafront in Exmouth on Saturday after a week of cloudy weather.

People are urged to get out and about for daily exercise but not leave their local areas, with some arguing there is not enough clarity on the rules and definitions.

Although people are allowed to go for a walk in their local area, Downing Street has confirmed that leaving home just to sit in a public place, such as on a beach or park bench for a prolonged period of time, is ‘unlawful under coronavirus rules’.

Falmouth’s beaches in Cornwall were also busy, but other webcams across the county showed fewer people out and about.

Devon and Cornwall Police said people were “asked to remain local and walk or cycle where possible to avoid putting unnecessary pressure on frontline services and the NHS”.

Dartmoor also saw its fair share of visitors, with one local man taking a picture of a packed car park at the entrance to Bellever wood, saying that ‘crowds of people’ were risking the spread of coronavirus and that he had “never seen it so busy in his 60 years of living here”.

He added: “What is sad is none of these people live locally and obviously have travelled some miles to be here such as Plymouth, Newton Abbot, Exeter etc to get to Postbridge when there are areas much nearer to their home where they could exercise.”