Several people soaking up the sunshine in a park this afternoon have been moved on by police.
Two community support officers on bicycles told a number of locals to leave the Swindon green space at around 4.20pm as they flouted lockdown laws to bask in the 24 degree heat.
One man, thought to be in his 50s, argued with the officers who has asked him to move on claiming that he was ‘not carrying coronavirus’ and said he had been exercising prior to laying in Faringdon Park.
Talking to Wiltshire 999s, the man said: “They told me I’ve got to move on. I’ve been in the park about 40 minutes. I’ve just has some exercise around the park and now I’m sitting down to rest.
“I’ve just had a disagreement with them [the police] saying, at the end of the day, I’ve not been out of my house other than for shopping for five weeks.
“I don’t see anything wrong with me sitting in a park when there’s no one in 100 metres of me. I’ve self-isolated for over 12 weeks, since I got back from Thailand so I’ve not got anything.
“They just want to infringe on people’s human rights at the end of the day.
“I can see what people are saying about hanging about in a group or talking to other people, I’d agree that I was doing something wrong but the fact I’m not infected and I’m sitting in the park after a bit of exercise I don’t see what I’ve done wrong. I think they are using their powers a bit too strongly.”
A number of others who were no adhering to movement rules were also moved on from the area, including a pair having a picnic on a blanket and a man paying his guitar under a tree.
