OFFICERS have promised to continue protecting and serving communities during the lockdown after conducting patrols in a coastal town.

Essex Police's Tendring Community Policing Team paid a confidence-building visit to Brightlingsea on Monday.

During the stop-off officers engaged with residents and shoppers and even took a stroll around a supermarket.

The visit came after the infection rate in Tendring increased to 1,174.3 per 100,000 people on January 11 - up from 627.7 on January 3.

They, therefore, also used the opportunity to reiterate the importance of following the Government's Covid-19 restrictions.

A spokesman for the force said: "Our focus has always been and will continue to be to protect and serve our communities.

"Thank you to all those in our community who continue to follow government regulations and advice and take steps to protect themselves and others."