Devon tourists stopped by police on way to Lake District holiday

Holidaymakers from Devon have been asked to return to the West Country after being stopped by police - five hours away in the Lake District.

The group were stopped in a campervan near Windermere by officers who were patrolling the roads.

South Lakes Police posted an image of the vehicle on Twitter to remind followers of the current lockdown restrictions, which forbid non-essential travel.

Police will be patrolling roads across the West Country this weekend. Credit: PA

Since the start of the coronavirus lockdown, which came into force on 23 March, people have been asked to only travel when necessary.

This means people can only go out and use their cars to go food shopping, for health reasons or work.

Residents, councils and emergency services across the West Country have been urging holidaymakers to stay away from the region this bank holiday weekend, and only visit once the restrictions are lifted.

Devon and Cornwall Police yesterday warned any holidaymaker or second home owner caught travelling to the region this weekend will be fined and refused entry.

In previous weekends during the lockdown, police stopped a tourist from Birmingham in a motorhome at the Devon-Somerset border while a group of climbers from Bristol were sent back to the West Country after attempting to climb a mountain in Wales.

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

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