Wiltshire residents urged to NOT get 'carried away' ahead of Euros amid COVID fears
The tournament starts tonight
Last updated 11th Jun 2021
As the European Championships get underway this evening, Wiltshire's residents have been given a stark warning.
The county's police force and health leaders are urging people to take "personal responsibility" whilst enjoying their football festivities over the coming weeks.
The curtain raiser for the tournament starts at 20:00 BST, as Turkey face Italy.
Given the challenges faced by residents across the county over the last 15 months, there are fears that some could get "carried away" during Euro 2020 - which has retained its original name despite being postponed by a year.
Wiltshire's recent hot weather, along with the fact that three home nations have qualified for the tournament, is thought to be a potential melting pot for social gatherings and rising COVID-19 infection rates.
'We should all be playing our part to keep everyone safe'
Superintendent Phil Staynings, from Wiltshire Police, said: “We know there will be a lot of people across the county looking forward to the first major international football tournament in three years.
“It will come as a welcome distraction and celebration as lockdown restrictions ease, but we remind everyone that while restrictions are still in place, we should all be playing our part to keep everyone safe from a global pandemic.
“While we want everyone to enjoy themselves, we ask that this doesn’t get carried away and create problems for their communities, many of whom won’t be interested in the football".
The Force has also encouraged people to drink responsibly and not allow their emotions to "spill over into violence".
'Help show COVID-19 the red card'
England's Euros campaign kicks-off on Sunday afternoon, as Croatia visit Wembley. An estimated 22,000 fans are expected at the stadium, enjoying a re-run of the World Cup semi-final from three years ago.
Despite the palpable anticipation in our region, Swindon's Director of Public Health, Steve Maddern, likened any associated lockdown breaches to "scoring an own goal".
The football analogies continued with Wiltshire Council's Cabinet Member for Public Health, Simon Jacobs. He has called on local residents to "help show COVID-19 the red card".