Covid: Hundreds drive to Brecon Beacons in defiance of Wales restrictions

Police turn away minibus from Cheltenham and hiker from Hertfordshire

Police turned away hundreds of people trying to visit the Brecon Beacons despite the lockdown restrictions in Wales.

Officers patrolling the area near Pen y Fan on Tuesday discovered that a group which travelled from Cheltenham in a minibus were from different households.

Another man drove nearly 200 miles from Hertfordshire to walk up the mountain in defiance of the 'stay at home' Covid regulations.

Dyfed-Powys Police said they had issued fines to those in "blatant breach" of the alert level 4 restrictions which came into force on 20 December and state that people should not travel without reasonable excuse.

Inspector Andrew Williams, from Dyfed-Powys Police’s specialist operations (RPU) team, said: “We are carrying out high-visibility patrols at Storey Arms and engaging with people to remind them of their responsibilities to adhere to Welsh Government lockdown restrictions.

Police carry out ‘high visibility patrols’ to enforce level 4 restrictions (PA)

"There were a couple of hundred vehicles in the area today.

“Fixed penalty notices have and will be issued to those blatant breaches where engagement fails, but the vast majority of people are listening to advice and when they are turning up and seeing RPU vehicles at the site, they are turning around and going home – which is the objective of our high visibility patrols."

Cars line the roads near Pen-y-Fan in the Brecon Beacons, Wales (PA)

Powys County Council said Wales was "not open" for visitors to travel to from other parts of the UK.

Councillor Graham Breeze, portfolio holder for corporate governance, engagement and regulatory services, said he was "shocked" to see large numbers of people travelling to the Brecon Beacons to "enjoy the snow".

"We all know that getting out and about is good for your mental health, but please stick to the rules and stay close to home," he said.

"We are at Alert Level 4 for a reason, because there has been a huge spike in Covid-19 cases which is affecting all parts of Wales.

"It is putting a huge strain on our health and social care services and is placing the lives of our most vulnerable residents at risk.

"Powys has some beautiful places to visit but they will still be here to enjoy after the large number of coronavirus cases has subsided, while some of your relatives and friends may not if they end up catching this deadly disease.

"We need everyone to play their part and stay home over the days and weeks ahead - however tempting it may be to head to the county's mountains, hills and lakes."

Additional reporting by Press Association