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Crowds gathered on Merseyside beaches on a holiday Saturday despite the blockade that is still in place.
Another blazing day on an unfortunately timed holiday weekend saw further tension against the blocking measures, imposed to curb the spread of the coronavirus.
The busy scenes came after the Merseyside police chased several youths who had started a fire in Formby Woods.
Today, Formby and New Brighton beaches were flooded with visitors, even though official rules still stated that people should only go out for one form of exercise per day and not travel far from home.
A Formby resident described seeing people park in front of residents’ houses, and people rushing to Formby beach with pizzas and picnic boxes.
(Image: Liverpool Echo)
And Twitter user Jo Gibson tweeted, “We went for a walk today, as the kids haven’t been anywhere since the close. We didn’t stop anywhere, we didn’t even have the windows open. There’s no social distancing.” .
In New Brighton, the Harrison Drive parking lot was crowded, and the ride was busy with groups apparently cycling together.
(Image: Liverpool Echo)
And on social media, there were complaints from groups of people walking around Marine Lake in West Kirby.
The closure restrictions were also tested when the youth started a fire in Formby Woods, risking a conflagration.
Mersey Fire tweeted, “Shocking behavior in dry weather could have caused a big fire. Parents: Do you know where your child is and what they are doing? Have a word and keep it inside.”
On Friday, crowds were photographed gathering in Sefton Park, where City Guard officers were deployed to try to control things.
On Facebook, James Birkenhead posted: “If the government starts lifting the shutdown starting tomorrow, we could be in serious trouble.”
“We need the economy to work again, but people are now breaking the rules and not being punished.”
(Image: Liverpool Echo)
“Thousands of people in the parks and on the beaches don’t exercise. People with VE parties and no social distancing. I really don’t want this to happen, but this could undo all the work we did to reduce the death rate.”
Sarah Fletcher posted: “So many people who broke the rules in recent days assuming the shutdown will be lifted on Monday.”
“We have to continue to save our loved ones no matter how difficult it may seem.”
Another concerned observer said, “Princes Park was busy again, I live nearby and the cars are continuous.”
People also reported seeing much busier roads around the city.
Many people believe that the frustrating scenes have occurred due to mixed messages from the government.
Boris Johnson and his advisers have faced criticism after comments about the lifting of the restrictions sparked front page corners in national newspapers.
On Thursday night, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said the closing rules are still in effect today and said the prime minister will explain how small changes may be possible when speaking to the nation on Sunday.
Yesterday, Liverpool Council Council health cabinet member Cllr Paul Brant said: “Liverpool has been badly affected by this virus, and the rates of infections and deaths in the city remain worryingly high.
“The progress we have seen so far in reducing infections has only come about because the city has supported social distancing and staying home.
“We should not risk jeopardizing that progress by taking unnecessary risks now.
“There are many seniors, nursing home residents, and other vulnerable people who need us all to meet the standards for their safety, as well as the community at large.
He added: “Although it seems that the blocking rules may be moderate in the coming days, we must be prepared for the new normal, which will probably see social distancing measures in force for a long time.”
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