Plane spotters warned ‘stay away from airport’

POLICE have warned plane spotters that they should be staying at home and not visiting East Midlands Airport.

Officers based at the Castle Donington terminal said people with an urgent need to travel should be the only ones visiting the airport.

The police statement came after Prime Minister Boris Johnson told people to stay at home and only travel for essential purposes as England was placed into another lockdown.

Residents can leave their homes for exercise, but this does not cover every type of recreation.

A police spokesman said: “Needless to say that coronavirus lockdown rules apply at East Midlands Airport and the surrounding area.

“You should only leave home for essential reasons.

“We emphasise that your presence at East Midlands Airport must be for essential reasons only.

“Observing, photographing aircraft or attending crash gates to kill time is not essential.”

International travel is still allowed under lockdown, although government guidance asks travellers to “consider the public health” of the country they are visiting.

In regards to travel within this country, the guidance states: “You must not leave your home unless you have a reasonable excuse (for example, for work or education purposes).

“If you need to travel you should stay local – meaning avoiding travelling outside of your village, town or the part of a city where you live – and look to reduce the number of journeys you make overall.”