VE Day conga line criticised as public ‘ignore UK lockdown’ over bank holiday weekend despite PM’s pleas

Police forces and HM coastguard report increase in incidents amid warm weather

A conga line celebration on VE Day was criticised for breaching the lockdown as Boris Johnson pleaded with the public to stay at home over the bank holiday weekend.

TV footage showed dozens of villagers in Grappenhall near Warrington dancing down the street while holding a rope at two-metre intervals in an attempt to maintain socially distancing.

However viewers and social media users erupted in fury at the video, with the anonymous author known as The Secret Barrister describing it as “breathtakingly stupid”.

“This appears to amount to a clear breach of the regulations,” he said. “Unless anybody has any suggestions as to how “Performing the conga” might be said to amount to a reasonable excuse for leaving the house ... we are a nation of idiots”

It was just one of a series of incidents which appeared to conflict with the government’s coronavirus guidance amid rising concern over an increase in the number of people flouting of the lockdown across the UK.

They included complaints that a group of up to 100 people had gathered in Salford Quays in Manchester to drink and spray champagne before being dispersed by police on Friday afternoon.

Live BBC coverage of a VE Day party in the Portsmouth suburb of Cosham also appeared to show a large gathering in the street ⁠— although the presenter attempted to reassure viewers that they were social distancing and that “perspectives on camera can sometimes be deceiving”. ​

Meanwhile Humberside Police said that “lots of people” were holding large gatherings on Friday in defiance of social distancing guidelines. “We will continue to enforce and and fine if appropriate,” the force added.

Police also reported stopping and turning away cars travelling long distances for short holidays or to visit the beach.

In Cumbria, police stopped a family of four on the M6 as they drove from London to Motherwell for a three-day holiday. All four were reported for breaching the regulations and advised to return to London.

Officers also stopped and turned away dozens of cars trying to get into Brighton on Saturday morning. Sussex Police said: “It’s not a dedicated coronavirus stop-check, but we are asking people why they are here, where they are going and turning them around if they do not have a purpose.”

The same force also warned the public that “day trips to the beach aren’t essential” and revealed they had issued 62 fines in the last two days to people visiting beauty spots near the coast such as Camber Sands.

HM Coastguard said they recorded the highest number of incidents since the start of the lockdown ⁠— with 97 on Friday, compared to the daily average for April of 63.

“People are ignoring the measures put into place by the government,’ said duty commander Matt Leat.​

“I completely understand that the weather and the bank holiday coupled with the fact that we’ve been in this lockdown situation for just over six weeks has tempted people out to our beautiful coasts.

“However it’s really vital that we all continue to observe the guidance.”

Boris Johnson, who is due to announce a minor change to the rules on Sunday by lifting the limit on daily exercise, tweeted on Saturday morning: “Please stay at home, so we don’t undo everything that’s been done so far.”