Police shut down '70-person rave' at Telford park
A "rave" in a Telford park was shut down by police after up to 70 people gathered despite the coronavirus lockdown.
Officers shut down the gathering in Granville Park, Muxton, and sent people home on Saturday evening.
The party appeared to have been organised in advance, with a sound system set up in the park, despite gatherings of more than two people remaining illegal under coronavirus restrictions.
"We are attending a mass gathering/rave at the Granville park," Telford Cops posted on Twitter.
"I'm told 70 people here! We have worked so hard and sacrificed so much and this group decide it doesn't apply. I'm shocked that people would care so little. #hangYourHeadsInShame.
"I asked one of them why they came to this event. 'I'm sick of self isolation'.
"They had a DJ set up and appears to be pre planned. We dispersed them for now."
Officers shared a photo taken from a distance which showed some of the group leaving but said they could not post close-up shots due to a policy of not naming and shaming.
The latest government guidance, released last Monday, continues to encourage people to stay at home apart from when buying essential items, commuting or exercising.
However you are now allowed to exercise outside as many times as you like and to sit and rest outside with one person who is not from your household, so long as you remain two metres apart.
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Public gatherings of more than two people who are not from the same household are restricted as part of the Government's emergency legislation, unless they are essential for work purposes, for a funeral, for a house move or to provide help to vulnerable people.
Anyone caught breaking the law can be fined £100 for a first offence up to a maximum of £3,200 for repeat offenders.
You are also now allowed to travel outside of your local area to exercise in open space, but only if you live in England.
In Wales the stricter stay-at-home rules remain in force and people must exercise locally. As a result officers have been stopping people who have travelled from England to Wales to exercise.
