UNITED KINGDOM. London: Partygoers were found hiding in cupboards by Cheshire Police after they raided an illegal party at an address in Alderley Edge around 8.30 last Saturday.
The officers found banners, balloons and alcohol at the scene and the partygoers tried to claim they were all from the same household, as reported by Cheshire Live.
However, Cheshire Police said that the party was a clear breach of the lockdown rules and issued fifteen fines.
According to the UK lockdown rules, the police can break up illegal gatherings and issue fines that can go from £200 for the first offence to £10,000 if you hold, or are involved in holding, an illegal gathering of over thirty people.
A Cheshire Police’s spokesman said that they handed out 116 on-the-spot fines in one weekend for similar offences.
On their Twitter account they wrote: “Since 4 January, we have issued 685 fines for blatant breaches of coronavirus restrictions. We all have a part to play in reducing the spread of the virus and need to stick to the rules to protect the NHS and save lives.”
Lockdown rules in the UK
The UK has entered the third lockdown on the 5th January, after a concerning increase of Covid-19 cases across the country.
The drastic jump had been attributed to the new more contagious variant of the virus detected in the UK at the end of 2020.
People are allowed to leave their homes only for essential reasons such as work, support vulnerable people, exercise, seek medical assistance or attend education or childcare.
Schools are currently closed, and classes are taking place online. All non-essential retail, hospitality, sports facilities and personal care services were also forced to shout.
When will the lockdown end?
The government hasn’t yet set a date for the end of the lockdown. The Prime Minister, in a personal appeal for caution last week, said that is “still too early” to talk about lifting the lockdown restriction as infection rates in the country are still “very, very high”.
He said on Twitter: “A quick update from me on where we are. Some encouraging progress this week, but we’re not there yet. This weekend please stay at home to protect the NHS and save lives.
A first indication of how and when the government plans to ease the restriction is expected later this month.
However, the spread of new concerning variants, and a still high infection rate, could cause further delays in the reopening process.
Furthermore, the health secretary Matt Hancock, said today that it is ”too early” to know whether summer holiday will be possible this year, but he assured that the government is doing everything possible.
Yesterday the UK has reported a further 12,013 new cases and 1,001 death.
