150 Covid-breach calls in one weekend to Peterborough’s police force as 62 people fined in 2021

So far this year the force has handed out 62 Fixed Penalty Notices, including for 10 people in Millfield for breaking lockdown rules.

In England, people aged 18 or over can be fined £200 for a first offence, lowered to £100 if paid within 14 days.

This can be doubled up to a maximum of £6,400 for further breaches.

Large parties can also be shut down by the police with fines of up to £10,000.

Cambridgeshire police said on Monday: “We’re massively grateful to those who are doing the right thing by following Government rules. However, sadly we still received 152 calls over the weekend relating to Covid breaches.

“Many of these reports were about large groups gathering in public places as well as inside people’s homes.

“Our officers spent time dealing with these calls all while managing serious crimes including violent assaults, collisions, domestic abuse and more.

“As ever, thank you to those who are sticking to the rules and if you’re one of those who are still breaching the regulations, please re-think and work with us to help protect our fantastic communities from this virus.”

The force also issued a statement on Friday highlighting “numerous reports of Covid breaches”.

It said: “Thank you to the vast majority of people who are sticking to the Covid-19 guidance. We are all in this together and everyone needs to do their bit.

“Unfortunately, this week we’ve had to attend numerous reports of Covid breaches, including gatherings, businesses operating that shouldn’t and people who have tested positive but are not isolating.

“There have also been incidents of people refusing to wear face masks in shops and being abusive towards staff. All with positive cases dramatically increasing and our incredible NHS struggling to cope.

“In addition to having to deal with these completely avoidable Covid breaches, we’ve also attended violent incidents, searched for missing people and helped the vulnerable in urgent need - to mention just a few.

“This pandemic is real and it is serious - please just stick to the rules. Paying rule-breakers a visit could cause delay in us reaching people who really need our help.

“Thank you once again to all the wonderful people in our communities who are keeping to the rules and our appreciation to the army of other key workers out there doing an amazing job.”

Data published by the National Police Chiefs Council shows a total of 280 FPNs were issued by Cambridgeshire Constabulary between March 27 and December 20 last year.

Of these, 137 were issued for breaches of coronavirus laws brought in during the first few months of the pandemic, 25 were linked to the tiered alert system introduced in October and 69 to the national lockdown which began in November.