Couple Fined After Driving 265 Miles From Surrey To Cornwall For 'An Hour By The Sea'

A couple have been fined by police after driving 265 miles from Surrey to Cornwall, only to be told to turn around and head home.

The duo told officers they had travelled down to popular seaside town of St Ives to help deal with 'forthcoming exam pressure'.

PA

However, when locals spotted them on the pier, they raised their concerns with police - who issued both of them Covid-19 penalties and ordered them to drive back to Surrey, making their journey 'a very long 530-mile round trip for an hour by the sea'.

A spokesperson for Devon and Cornwall Police said: "From Surrey to St Ives for an hour!

"Today our officers attended the pier in St Ives where a couple had been spotted by concerned residents.

"It transpired that the couple had driven 265 miles from Surrey for a day trip due to forthcoming exam pressure and thought their trip essential.

Penzance Police

"Both were issued with COVID-19 penalty notices and immediately decided to cut their outing short and return home.

"All in all a very long 530-mile round trip for an hour by the sea."

Shortly after the country went into lockdown, Devon and Cornwall Police announced they would be stopping drivers to speak to them about their travel, in order to ensure people are considering 'if their journey is essential'.

A spokesperson for Devon and Cornwall Police said the move comes as part of a series of new measures, which also include 'deploying units as broadly as possible'.

The spokesperson said: "Today in Cornwall a number of neighbourhood patrols have carried out stop checks on vehicles travelling within the county. The purpose of these checks is to engage with the public and to explain and reiterate the request from government, ensuring people have considered if their journey is essential.

"The purpose, at this time, is not to enforce the direction set out by the government, but to prepare communities for the new police powers which will be put in place in the coming days.

"This measure is one of many that the force have actioned today, including high visibility foot patrols, pro-active discussions around Public Health England advice and deploying units as broadly as possible.

"This is an ever changing situation and we will maintain an agile approach."

Topics: Police, UK News, News

Jess Hardiman

Jess is a journalist at LADbible who graduated from Manchester University with a degree in Film Studies, English Language and Linguistics - indecisiveness at its finest, right there. She also works for FOODbible and its sister page Seitanists, which are both a safe haven for her to channel a love for homemade pasta, fennel and everything else in between. You can contact Jess at [email protected].

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