Couple flouted lockdown rules with 265-mile drive from Surrey to Cornwall to ‘relieve exam pressure’

A COUPLE has been for flouting lockdown rules after making a 530-mile trip from Surrey to Cornwall – telling cops they were “stressed about their exams”.

They were spotted by concerned residents near a beach in St Ives before being approached by cops yesterday.

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The pair told officers they made the trip “due to forthcoming exam pressure” and said their journey was essential.

However, cops issued them with fixed penalty notices under the new emergency law in place to help prevent the spread of coronavirus.

They were fined £60 and then made the trip back to Surrey after spending just one hour by the sea.

EXAM STRESS

Devon and Cornwall Police said: “Today our Officers attended the pier in St Ives where a couple had been spotted by concerned residents.

“It transpired that the couple had driven 265 miles from Surrey for a day trip due to forthcoming exam pressure and thought their trip essential.

“Both were issued with Covid-19 Penalty notices and immediately decided to cut their outing short and return home.

The couple had driven 265 miles from Surrey for a day trip due to forthcoming exam pressure and thought their trip essential.

Devon & Cornwall Police

“All in all a very long 530 mile round trip for an hour by the sea.”It comes just days after a local drive on a 70-mile tour of Cornwall told officers: “I was bored so I went for a drive.”

New figures released this week showed officers have slapped Brits with coronavirus lockdown fines every five minutes with youths being the worst offenders.

And Thames Valley Police doled out 649 fines between March 27 and April 27, followed by Met Police and Lancashire police forces, the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) said.

In England, 82 per cent of the 8,877 fines were given to men.

And more than a third of fines were given to people aged between 18 and 24, with 31 per cent going to those aged 25-34.

In Wales, 299 FPNs have been issued in the same timeframe.

According to the NPCC, almost 400 of the penalties were issued to repeat offenders. One person was even fined six times for refusing to follow the lockdown guidelines.

Authorities had given police the ability to slap Brits with £60 fines if they failed to comply after officers engaged with them to stop the spread of the virus.

This means that £266,310 will be collected in coronavirus lockdown fines in England alone.