People in North Yorkshire urged not to relax their approach to Covid restrictions
Police have had reports of people travelling for miles to get fish and chips.
Last updated 3rd Mar 2021
There are concerns that the warmer weather is causing people to break lockdown restrictions.
North Yorkshire Police say there's been a 33% increase in Fixed Penalty Notices being issued for breaking regulations in the last week.
255 have been issued in the last 7 days:
Craven: 13
Hambleton: 30
Harrogate 20
Richmond 15
Ryedale 8
Scarborough 127
Selby 11
York 31
Of the 255, 119 were issued to locals and 136 to visitors.
Superintendent Mike Walker from North Yorkshire Police says: "It seems some people are starting to relax their approach to the rules because of the good weather, with some taking trips to the coast.
"We want to protect North Yorkshire's chances of moving out of lockdown safely. We'll continue to enforce patrols and engage with the public.
"Imagine the disappointment if the Prime Minister says in a few weeks that the data doesn't support groups being allowed to meet up - all because of people breaking the rules now.
"We recently had to break up a party of 20 people in Scarborough. Let's not jeopardise the good work that people have been doing.
"Unfortunately there have been week on week increase in FPNs being issued. 1,272 have been issued since January 6th and 3,165 have been issued since March 2020".
Speaking at the North Yorkshire Local Resilience Forum, Sergeant Dan Thompson said they've recently dealt with groups travelling far for non-essential reasons: "There's been a distinct change in the behaviours of people, and we've seen people who should really know better breaking the rules.
"Over the weekend three law students and three nursing students had travelled to Filey from Leeds just to get fish and chips by the sea. On Sunday nine people from two households had come up from Hull to Filey Country park to have a barbecue together".
From March 29th the "rule of six" will be re-introduced alongside the two household rule. The "rule of six" means that up to six people from different households can meet outside.