ESSEX Police are out in force this afternoon as more people are reported to have flouted Covid-19 restrictions by heading to Southend seafront. 

>> Southend: Take-away? Take it home...don't linger outside

Sunshine and warm temperatures has triggered a rise in the number of people travelling to the seafront to take advantage of the warm weather. 

Senior Southend councillor Martin Terry said officials had reported people from Edmonton and Tottenham heading to the seafront.

>> Southend Council warns people to stay away from seafront

He stressed this was unacceptable because of the risk of Covid-19 spreading. He added it did a dis-service to our NHS frontline who are battling the virus. 

It comes as Southend Council warned people to stay away because the lockdown is not over and the risk of coronavirus remains. 

A Southend police spokesman said: "Officers from the Southend town centre team and the wider community policing team are on Southend seafront now where there has been an increase in those breaching Covid-19 legislation."

Officers say they are working with council officials and other colleagues to explain, encourage and enforce the rules if needed. 

People who flout the lockdown rules could end up saddled with a £60 fine and potentially another for £120 for a second offence, with the penalty doubling for additional breaches.

People responding to police on Facebook say police should simply enforce.

One resident said: "Drove along seafront on way back from food shopping, loads of people there. Don't envy you to be honest, there's a lot of people who have suddenly got medical degrees from Facebook out there!"

Another added: "Just enforce, people are not listening and just don't care, very selfish, this will not go away while people are still behaving like this, please just issue fines then they might listen."