Cops carry out dawn raids on campervans and tents after holidaymakers stay overnight in Cornwall against lockdown rules

COPS have carried out dawn raids on campervans and tents after holidaymakers spent the night in Cornwall against lockdown rules.

Officers took direct action against campers this morning after beaches across the UK were packed yesterday - despite a ban on staying away from home.

⚠️ Read our coronavirus live blog for the latest news & updates

The mini heatwave had seen sunbathers make the most of the Government's permission for day trips to beaches and parks - but locals were left frustrated as social distancing guidelines were ignored.

And cops in Newquay, Cornwall, were among those out on dawn patrol this morning to clear tourists away and were pictured confronting campers around 6am.

Police in Newquay said: "We identified some visitors that had travelled to Newquay and stayed overnight against Public Health England advice and legislation.

"With engagement, explanation and education they moved on. We love visitors to the town, #comebacklater."

Locals say several tents and vans have been found staying overnight at various spots around the village and nearby Kynance.

It included sightings of tents at Pistol Meadow, near the former wireless station and at Pentreath.

Vans were also seen staying overnight in the National Trust car park for the lighthouse and on land adjoining the Kynance car park.

Although police are powerless to stop people travelling to the seaside under current Government guidelines, they can use their powers to ensure people don't stay.

But concerns that the failure to observe social distancing will continue into the bank holiday weekend as the warm weather remains.

RNLI particularly voiced worries as they revealed there are no lifeguards on any beaches due to the coronavirus outbreak.

Meanwhile, closed roads had yesterday become gridlocked as desperate sun seekers headed to the beach.

There was also widespread anger from locals in the Lizard in Cornwall over the "blatant disregard" for safety.

Local Janice Thirlaway-Price said there had been little consideration for the community.

She said: "There are no facilities open, so nowhere to go to the toilet for 10 miles - Tesco or Sainsbury's - which leads to the dangers of human waste in and around the footpaths local people are using for their daily exercise."

And the hot weather is likely to continue.

Bookmaker Coral has slashed the odds on this May being the hottest since records began, now making it just 5-4 (cut from 2-1).

This week has seen temperatures of up to 28C and warm weather is forecast for the rest of the month.

The National Trust said that people should not be staying overnight on National Trust land at any time, and particularly now in light of the coronavirus rules.

A spokesperson said: "People shouldn't be doing that anyway, let alone on National Trust Land, and anyone seeing it should be alerting their local police on 101."

She added that while staff numbers were reduced at the current time, there were still teams in place at different locations and the trust would look to get someone out to The Lizard.