A kick in the face: Footballers are filmed playing a match in east London in breach of Covid lockdown rules
- Group of around 25 men were spotted playing a match in Valentine’s Park, Ilford
- Footballers were seen tackling each other and heckling for the ball in the match
- Officers attended the park and group of around 25 men left before they arrived
A group of amateur footballers were spotted breaching Covid lockdown regulations while they played a match in east London as the virus claimed 1,035 lives in Britain.
The group of around 25 men were spotted playing a match in Valentine’s Park, Ilford, in the London Borough of Redbridge on Saturday morning.
The footballers were seen tackling each other and heckling for the ball in the match which was marked out with cones and goals and even referees for the game.
A group of amateur footballers were spotted breaching Covid lockdown regulations as they played a match in east London
A user posted the 27-second clip to the Ilford South Twitter account and tagged Jas Athwal, the leader of Redbridge Borough Council, along with Redbridge Council.
The footage was captioned: ‘We might be wrong here but given the emergency we are under team sports without necessary safety should perhaps be banned in the current circumstances. @RedbridgeLive @Jas_Athwal this is at valentine’s park right now near tennis courts. #COVID19.’
Redbridge Metropolitan Police Service commented on the post: ‘We are in a National Lockdown, please be aware that any unauthorised events and gatherings are a breach and relevant action within current legal framework and guidance will be reviewed & where found fines issued. Please do not place yourself or others at risk.’
The group of around 25 men were spotted playing a match in Valentine’s Park, Ilford, in the London Borough of Redbridge on Saturday morning
The footballers were seen tackling each other and heckling for the ball in the match which was marked out with cones and goals and even referees for the game
They added: ‘Police attended and group have left prior to police arrival. Covid patrols remain in the vicinity. Enquiries ongoing.’
The post garnered 2,000 views and followers branded the incident ‘disgraceful’ while Mr Athwal responded: ‘Thank you, enforcement team is on its way.’
Government lockdown rules state that outdoor exercise should be limited to once per day, by yourself or with a support bubble or people you live with, in a childcare bubble or, if alone, with one person from another household.
A Metropolitan Police spokesman told MailOnline: ‘Police were called to a group of people playing football in Valentines Park, Ilford at 11.13am on Saturday 9 January.
‘Officers attended and the group were dispersed.’
It comes after Britain recorded more than 1,000 Covid deaths for the fourth day in a row as the new mutation wreaks havoc across the country.
A further 1,035 people have died today in the deadliest Saturday since April 18, as the total Covid death toll since the pandemic began hit a grim 80,000.
The total marks a 132.5 per cent rise on the 445 deaths recorded on this day last week and is the highest Saturday figure since April 18.
Meanwhile London is facing the biggest threat of the pandemic so far as the NHS buckles under the strain of coronavirus cases, experts warned yesterday as a major incident was declared in the capital.
The city is one of the main hotspots of the latest wave of the virus which saw deaths reach a record high with its spread now ‘out of control’ in the metropolitan area.
Mayor Sadiq Khan warned that more than 1 per cent of the city’s nine million residents tested positive for Covid last week, with one in 30 residents currently estimated to be infected.
In the worst-hit boroughs, it is feared the rate is as high as one in 20 and startling figures also show that hospital admissions rose by a quarter in the first week of January.
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