Covid: Portsdown Hill coffee drinker fined for refusing to leave

Officers spoke to several individuals at Portsdown Hill on Saturday who had driven to collect takeaway food and parked up to eat it.

A man who refused to leave a beauty spot until he had finished his coffee has been handed a fixed penalty notice.

The 56-year-old, from Swanmore, was warned by police during a patrol at Portsdown Hill, Hampshire, that it was against Covid-19 rules to park up and eat or drink takeaway orders.

Others to be fined included someone who was driving to their second home in the New Forest from London.

Hampshire Constabulary has urged people to "stay at home".

Police in the New Forest fined a London resident driving to their second home

Officers said they spoke to several individuals at Portsdown Hill and Southsea Esplanade on Saturday, who had driven to collect takeaway food and parked up to eat it.

The force said the majority understood and went home once officers had explained it was against current regulation, but one man refused to leave until he had finished his drink.

He was reported for summons in relation to a fixed penalty notice.

"Parking up to eat takeaway food is not permitted under current health protection regulations; once your food has been collected, you are required to go home," a force spokesman said.

Meanwhile, police in the New Forest issued a fine on Sunday to a London resident who had been visiting their second home in the area, as well as three men who had travelled from the Isle Of Wight, via Dorset, to look at a second-hand car.

In a Facebook post explaining the fines, police said: "The message is clear, please stay at home."

On Monday, officers in the county also handed 26 people fixed penalty notices after they attended a car meet.