Police hit out at men who travelled 150 miles to Southend

The trio drove more than 150 miles from Staffordshire to Southend on Sunday before getting onto a boat, despite the restrictions on movement during lockdown.

The men then got into a rib and set off in an attempt to reach the Red Sands Sea Fort in Whitstable.

A series of estuary sea forts were built during the war in an effort to defend London and other Thames settlements from invasion.

The men failed in their bid to reach the fort, getting into difficulty and having to be rescued by emergency services.

They were brought into Sheerness Docks where they told officers they had intended to spend the night at the sea fort.

The men, aged between 31 and 41, were issued with fines for breaching Covid-19 regulations, Kent Police said.

Assistant Chief Constable Claire Nix has hit out at the men and other people who continue to flout the lockdown rules.

She said: “Whilst the vast majority of people continue to abide by the latest Government guidelines to help stop the spread of the virus, it is incredibly frustrating that there are still a small minority who think the rules don’t apply to them.

“We have seen examples of people who are not only behaving selfishly, but also putting unnecessary strain on the emergency services with their reckless actions.

“Whilst I understand the desire we all have to return to normality, we are still in a critical time and it is important to do the right thing, follow the guidelines, save lives and protect the NHS.

“Preventing the spread of the virus is a shared effort and all members of the public need to take personal responsibility.”

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