Police express frustration after another day of dealing with ‘selfish’ Covid rule breakers in North Wales

Police officers in North Wales have expressed their frustration after spending yet another day dealing with “selfish” Covid-19 rule breakers.

The “stay at home” rules in place across Wales, which apply except for in very limited circumstances, have been well publicised over the last couple of weeks with the country at alert level four.

Despite this, police have been called out to the region’s beauty spots on countless occasions to deal with people driving from outside the area.

The issue was brought into sharp focus earlier this week when officers got stuck in the snow after coming to the aid of a man who skidded off the road whilst visiting Moel Famau from Ellesmere Port.

Unfortunately, such incidents appear not to have impacted on people’s actions as the force spent much of today handling similar issues.

Despite warnings time after time, we still have people blatantly ignoring signs, driving on treacherous roads and breaching COVID rules at Moel Famau as well as other areas

Attend, breach the rules and you could be the recipient of a mystery prize…?

#£200fine#COVID19 pic.twitter.com/a30iCCxyJQ

— NWP Rural Crime Team/Tîm Troseddau Cefn Gwlad HGC (@NWPRuralCrime) January 9, 2021

Members of the Rural Crime Team said they had again encountered people blatantly ignoring road closure signs, driving on treacherous roads and breaching Covid rules at Moel Famau.

They said: “Another day wasted dealing with COVID rule breakers.

“So frustrating that we have to deal with these people who simply don’t care whilst the vast majority of us do the right thing and stay at home

“We are seeing people from England and various areas of Wales…so selfish.”

Patrols of #Snowdonia on a cold but beautiful morning today. Nice to see the #StayHome message being adhered to with the area quiet. Let’s hope it stays the same this afternoon @visitsnowdonia pic.twitter.com/L1uBGxIjmj

— HGC Uned Plismona'r Ffyrdd/NWP Roads Policing Unit (@NWPRPU) January 9, 2021

There was better news in Snowdonia, where officers on patrol said the area was quiet after car parks were closed to deter visitors.

But police in Flintshire had to issue a reminder after rule breakers were reported at Wepre Park in Connah’s Quay.

They said: “Please remember you cannot travel for the purpose of exercise unless you have a very good reason such as requiring to attend somewhere flat due to a disability.

“Exercise must start and finish at home (we know previously you’ve been allowed to travel but that is not now the case).

“We have been at a number of locations today including Wepre Park where a number of people have been reported for the breached.”

Meanwhile, an appeal was made for the public not to visit World’s End, which is located between Wrexham and Llangollen.

Please do not come for a drive to Worlds End. Exercise should start and finish from your home address and should not be driving to a location. Think of your actions- if you get into difficulties you are risking our emergency services. pic.twitter.com/zUsVRXOA1v

— NWP Wrexham Rural (@NWPWrexhamRural) January 9, 2021