Scenes that shame Britain
Huge crowds leave beauty spots covered with litter – as police say they ‘can’t enforce the rule of six’
THESE are the disgraceful scenes of litter left behind as large crowds of sunseekers celebrated the easing of Covid restrictions by laying a trail of waste across the country.
A ‘selfish’ minority were blamed for turning some of the country’s most popular open spaces and beauty spots into rubbish tips full of empty bottles.
In some areas, parks were forced to close to the public as volunteers spent yesterday morning clearing up mountains of debris left by Britons enjoying record warm weather.
It came as former police chiefs described the new rule of six as ‘unenforceable’ – and warned they are powerless to prevent large groups from more than two households mixing in open spaces.
As Cabinet minister Robert Jenrick urged people to be ‘cautious’, a former Scotland Yard chief said it is impossible for officers to break up large gatherings.
Kevin Hurley said: ‘Two officers on patrol face having to disperse twenty young men playing football and drinking in a park, who can all shout that they come from just two households – the police don’t have a chance.’
Meanwhile, former Greater Manchester Police chief constable Sir Peter Fahy said police will soon have ‘all but given up’ trying to enforce the rule of six. He said: ‘The fact that we are seeing wholesale disregard for the restrictions across the country shows the incredible task they have of trying to enforce them.
‘I personally think they will revert to normal anti- social behaviour policing, focusing on real priority offences.’
Celebrations started early on Tuesday as England basked in the hottest March day since 1968.
The Prime Minister had said he hoped people would take advantage of the ‘ beautiful weather’. But at Tower Hill, Primrose Hill and Greenwich
Park in London, mounds of rubbish were left around bins.
Those who congregated on Woodhouse Moor in Leeds abandoned enormous amounts of litter on the grass. Police were also called to reports of balaclava-clad men roaming with machetes.
In Nottingham, council leader David Mellen said the Arboretum and Lenton parks were closed due to the actions of ‘a thoughtless minority’.
Meanwhile, those flocking to the coast left behind bottles and cans on picturesque Longsands beach in Tynemouth, North Tyneside.
An onlooker said: ‘It is so upsetting to see so much rubbish. People should have more respect for nature and stay away if they can’t clean up after themselves.’
Richard McIlwain, of environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy, said the ‘disaster’ scenes around the country were ‘unacceptable’.
The scenes came as the Daily Mail helps to launch Keep Britain Tidy’s Great British Spring Clean campaign, asking readers to roll up their sleeves and restore pride in our country. Already more than 37,000 people have pledged their support.
Yesterday’s temperatures fell short of breaking records, with a maximum of 23.9C (75F) in Weybourne, Norfolk.
Greg Dewhurst, of the Met Office, said temperatures did not rise as high as originally forecast because there was more cloud around.
‘Have respect for nature’