As the coronavirus lockdown nears its sixth week and the weather improves, many Brits are growing impatient of the Government’s orders to stay at home whenever possible.

Hundreds of locals were seen strolling along the seafront of Hove, East Sussex and queuing up for ice cream. Although new Covid-19 hospitalisations are beginning to plateau in the UK, Health Secretary Matt Hancock warned yesterday that it is still too soon for emergency restrictions to be relaxed.

The Government says people should only go outside to buy essential items, for medical assistance, to help a vulnerable person, for one form of daily exercise and to go to work if necessary. But that hasn’t stopped some from heading out for the day to potter around town, ignoring guidance stay two metres apart from each other.

Earlier this week eyewitness Ben Maughan, 34, said the Hove seafront was ‘just absolutely packed’. He added: ‘I usually go out for my evening run but it just wasn’t safe.

‘The police just weren’t doing anything and that was the shocking thing.

‘Usually they have been telling people sitting on a bench to move on or putting out BBQs. Just actual policing.

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‘But they were just driving by on what looked like an ordinary Thursday summer’s day.

‘Even the ice cream shop had reopened. It was as though lockdown had been lifted.

‘Everyone seems to have had enough of being coped up and wanted to get out to enjoy the weather.’

Today the UK’s coronavirus death toll passed 20,000 and the total number of confirmed cases stands at 148,377.

Earlier this month a couple from Hove were filmed accusing the police of ‘ruining their fricking day’ for moving them along from Brighton Beach.

They were none too pleased when one of the officers used his helmet as a makeshift water bucket to extinguish their barbecue.

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