Mcb777 CricketCooped-up Brits begin to venture out more to the shops and in the sunshine as traffic also begins to grow again | The Sun - chibet Cricket

COOPED-UP Brits today ventured out to the shops and in the sunshine to make lockdown more bearable - as traffic begins to grow once again.

Hyde Park in London was today packed with young Brits exercising, while a group of paramedics were seen enjoying a well-deserved break in the sunshine.

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A woman was seen enjoying the sunshine in Hyde Park todayCredit: w8media

Shoppers queue outside B&Q in Aberdeen after its reopening todayCredit: Newsline Media Ltd

Two women were seen enjoying the sunshine in Kensington Gardens in London earlier todayCredit: Darren Fletcher - The Sun

Shoppers were seen buying trolley loads of non-essential items at The Range in SouthamptonCredit: w8media

A graph shown during today's press conference showed that traffic on Britain's roads is beginning to riseCredit: COBR

Others followed strict government guidelines and remained two metres apart as they sunbathed in the capital on Wednesday afternoon.

And in today's 5pm government press conference, it was announced that traffic on Britain's roads is beginning to increase during lockdown.

Graphs show all motor vehicle traffic spike since yesterday - the first significant rise since April 14.

Meanwhile, shoppers at The Range in Southampton, Hants, were seen loading up with supplies - some which could be deemed "non-essential" - to help keep them occupied while they stay at home.

Some shoppers were seen bringing trolley loads of gardening materials, plants and compost back to their cars as Britain basks in warm weather.

DIY tools, blower vacuums to clean away leaves, paint and other non-essential items were also snapped up by fed-up Brits as the country tries to keep busy under the government's stay-at-home rules.

LOCKDOWN MELTDOWN

Chris Whitty today admitted that lockdown measures will be needed until the end of the year to control coronavirus - until a drug or a vaccine is round.

The Chief Medical Officer said that some form of the measures Britain is going to have to be in place for a long period of time to make sure the transmission rate doesn't grow and begin to

It was "wholly unrealistic" to think a return to normal life is possible anytime soon, Mr Whitty told the Downing Street press conference this evening.

There will be a "series of choices" and ministers will decide a mix of measures to try and get back to a new normal.

The only "exit"; from lockdown will be a vaccine or drugs to treat coronavirus, he said.

Strict social distancing measures introduced last month to help tackle the spread of the deadly bug say Brits should only leave home to shop for "basic necessities" like food or medicine.

But there is confusion at guidance on what is a "reasonable excuse" to leave your home during the UK's Covid-19 shutdown.

On March 23, Prime Minister Boris Johnson ordered all "non-essential" shops to shut while urging Brits to stay at home to stop the spread of coronavirus.

The government is now under pressure to explain to Brits how and when the coronavirus lockdown will end.

Under the rules, people can only leave home for a limited number of reasons:

Shopping for basic necessities, for example and medicine, which must be as infrequent as possible.
One form of exercise a day, for example a run, walk, or cycle - alone or with members of your household.
Any medical need, including to donate blood, avoid or escape risk of injury or harm, or to provide care or to help a vulnerable person.
Travelling for work purposes, but only where you cannot work from home.

The Cabinet is now said to be split into “doves and hawks” over how and when to end the UK-wide shutdown, which is ravaging the country's economy.

Some ministers are said to be against ending the lockdown too early to avoid a second wave, while others want to lift it to avoid a bigger economic crisis.

And guidance from senior police leaders issued last week on what is permitted has confused many.

The National Police Chief's Council (NPCC) and College of Policing's three-page document laid out "reasonable" excuses to leave home.

CONFUSION OVER RULES

They advised that "buying paint and brushes, simply to redecorate a kitchen" was "not likely to be reasonable".

But the advice, which is to help police officers interpret the lockdown rules, says buying "tools and supplies to repair a fence panel" is "likely to be reasonable".

To make things more complicated, the guidance says "there is no need for all a person's shopping to be basic food supplies".

It also states "a person has a reasonable excuse to visit the shops that remain open to customers under the Regulations".

The guidance was quietly introduced last week after a woman was arrested for sitting on a park bench, claiming she was "exercising mentally".

It ruled out sitting on park benches for any extended periods of time.

Some parks have already taped them up to stop people from sitting in the park and relaxing.

Brits are allowed to sit down for a moment to catch their breath or eat their lunch, but only if they are on a long walk.

"A short walk to a park bench, when the person remains seated for a much longer period" is not considered reasonable, the rules say.

POLICE APOLOGY

The new guidance come after accusations of over-zealous policing of Brits.

Downing Street slapped down policing tactics, saying stores are “free to sell what they stock” after officers from Cambridge Police patrolled “non-essential aisles” for shoppers.

A police force had to apologise after one of its officers told a family they couldn't use their own front garden.

Northamptonshire Police Chief Constable Nick Adderley was forced to backtrack after saying cops could "start" to "marshal supermarkets and check the items in baskets."

He said the public had enjoyed a "three-week grace period" and said his force would slap fines and arrest those caught outside for non-essential reasons.

He said: "We will not, at this stage, be setting up road blocks.