More on KentOnline
More on KentOnline
Home Sittingbourne News Article
A picture of a group of teenagers apparently gathering for an 18th birthday party has emerged as police chiefs say it is harder to enforce new lockdown measures.
The image shows at least 14 youngsters gathered in the front driveway of a house in Upchurch, where balloons hang on the door.
At least one of the youths is seen wearing a face mask.
The photo was taken yesterday - the same day lockdown measures were eased for the first time across the country after more than 50 days.
The news rules means people are allowed outside the house more, including exercising outdoors as often as you want and spending more time enjoying the fresh air, picnicking, sunbathing or fishing.
People can also travel to an outdoor space irrespective of distance, and you can also meet one other person from a different household, as long as you follow social distancing measures.
But in a press briefing today chief constable Alan Pughsley said the new rules are harder to enforce as officers need to know who people are with.
He also said he would welcome a law on the two metre social distancing rule as this would make it easier to deal with.
As the rules on how far people can travel where relaxed, parks, shops and garden centres opened across the county.
And in Kent, people were found taking advantage of the new looser measures.
In Ashford, KFC opened its drive-thru at Eureka Park after previously only offering delivery.
The long queue of cars meant Stagecoach buses could not access the estate.
Garden centres also re-opened, including Coolings Potted Garden Nursery in Bearsted, near Maidstone, which had a full car park within 30 minutes of opening.
Dobbies in Ashford and Gillingham have both opened their doors too.
Subway also re-opened dozens of its branches, with outlets in Dover, Thanet, Canterbury, Folkestone, Medway and Maidstone now welcoming back customers.
And in Maidstone's Mote Park, couple Andrew and Katie, who have been apart since lockdown was imposed, were able to meet up for a picnic.
Andrew said: "We've followed the rules to the absolute point but it's hard, especially when you hear about government ministers breaking the rules themselves. But you've to go do it to keep safe."
It comes as Ashford was found to have the third highest infection rate for coronavirus in England - at least 637 people in the district have been hit with the virus at a rate of 492.7 per 100,000.
