Police have issued fines to 12 members of a football team who claimed to be from the same household during a pub visit.

The players were challenged by a concerned staff member while they were drinking in South Tyneside on Sunday night.

Unconvinced that the men were from the same household, police were called and the group was issued fines for breaching coronavirus regulations.

The men received fines of £200 each, which could be reduced to £100 if they pay within 14 days, according to Northumbria Police.

Chief Superintendent Janice Hutton said: “This group showed a flagrant disregard for the rules which are in place to help prevent the spread of coronavirus.

“Actions like this undermine the efforts being made by the majority of others in order to protect themselves, their family, friends and wider communities.”

She added: “We will continue to work closely with our communities and offer advice to people who have mistakenly broken the restrictions.

“However, as we have made clear, where individuals are choosing to ignore the measures in place, we are committed to taking enforcement action to protect our communities.”

Police have declined to release the name of the football team or the pub.

South Tyneside is currently subject to England’s Tier 2 restrictions, which means mixing of households indoors is prohibited, the “rule of six” applies to private gardens and outdoor spaces, and pubs and restaurants can remain open, but no mixing of households is permitted and a 10pm curfew is observed.

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