Police stop group from Bristol climbing Welsh mountain during lockdown

A group from Bristol were told to return home by police after attempting to climb a mountain in Wales during the coronavirus lockdown.

Despite a Government order for people to “stay local” when exercising, a climbing party travelled from Bristol to Pen Y Fan on Saturday (March 28).

They were attempting to scale the peak, which is located in the Brecon Beacons National Park, before police intervened.

The Brecon Roads Policing Team said they reminded the group that all national parks have closed as a result of the restrictions, and that they should return to the West Country.

Officers had set up a road-block on nearby roads to prevent people from entering the national park.

Officers had set up road-blocks to check on drivers. Credit: Brecon Roads Policing Unit / Twitter

They said around 20 drivers were told to turn around yesterday, describing their spot checks as an “overall” success.

Elsewhere in the region this weekend, police in Devon said they told a tourist in a motorhome to return home after they had driven down from Birminghamin the West Midlands - which is one of the worst-affected areas for the virus.

Under the Government's travel restrictions, people must only leave their homes for these reasons:

  • to exercise once a day - either alone, or with members of your household

  • shopping for basic necessities, although this should be done as little as possible

  • medical need, or to provide care for a vulnerable person

  • travel to or from work, but only where this is absolutely necessary.

  • if you do leave your home, you should keep at least two metres apart from others, in line with social distancing advice.

For the latest updates on coronavirus in the West Country, including case numbers, event cancellations and venue closures, click here.

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