Two men have been arrested after up to 25 neighbours held a street party where they played bingo and had a barbecue on Monday afternoon.
Police say up to 25 people were involved in a large street party at the junction of Marshall Avenue and Millbrook Avenue in Brambles Farm in Middlesbrough.
Cleveland Police were called out to the junction, which falls in a part of the north eastern town that has already been warned about the dangers of ignoring social distancing rules during the coronavirus lockdown.
Two men were arrested in Middlesbrough on Monday after neighbours went outside for bingo and a barbecue
A video shows a number of people in the street packed with cars and emergency response vehicles.
Cleveland Police confirmed that around 20-25 people were in the street having a party. Two men, aged 20, were arrested on suspicion of public order offences and a number of people were issued with warnings for breaching Covid-19 regulations.
One neighbour said large parties including barbecues and games of bingo were being enjoyed as the warm weather returned to Teesside.
It comes after Middlesbrough Council confirmed the TS3 postcode – including Brambles Farm – had a particularly high mortality rate for coronavirus deaths.
Last Thursday Middlesbrough Mayor Andy Preston said: ‘We have some early local data on the parts of town where there may be an increased risk from Covid-19.
‘Analysis from James Cook shows a high mortality rate for patients from the TS3 postcode.
‘We’re sending a leaflet to every home in that area, reminding people of the risks and asking them to follow social distancing measures.
‘It’s so important that we keep people safe and we’re also reminding people of the help the council can offer vulnerable people.’
The nearby Lidl supermarket and Thorntree Job Centre have both had to close due to coronavirus concerns.
Cleveland Police say up to 25 people were taking part in the gathering on Monday afternoon
Officers instructed people to return home if they weren’t involved in the incident due to the ongoing coronavirus regulations.
Cleveland Police have also reminded people that lockdown regulations have not been lifted and that people need to abide by the regulations in order to keep others safe.
Chief Superintendent Thom McLoughlin, head of local policing at Cleveland Police, said: “The force has not relaxed the Government lockdown rules and we continue to patrol our four districts to ensure people are complying with the regulations.
‘Let me be clear, we understand that this is a difficult time, but we must do what we can to protect loved ones and key workers who are risking their lives to save others.
‘Where appropriate, we will not hesitate to take enforcement action in order to protect people within our communities and we have dedicated patrols on duty 24 hours a day to ensure that these regulations are complied with.’
Officers are again reminding members of the public that they can only undertake essential journeys and that people need to stay at home in order to protect others and protect the NHS.
Both men remain in police custody.
Last week a delivery driver was caught on camera casually walking into a care home whilst not wearing any form of personal protective equipment (PPE).
The man was not wearing any gloves or face mask as he carried a package in to the Bupa care home in Kensington, West London.
In the video, he is seen ringing the doorbell of the care home before walking inside, even though the home has a sign outside saying no visitors.
Bupa said it was still taking essential deliveries which were cleaned with antibacterial wipes on arrival.
Earlier on Monday a stalker admitted spitting on a police officers face
Samuel Konneh was arrested just days after the UK went into lockdown, for stalking a woman who rebuffed his attentions.
But the 38-year-old spat blood into the mouth of one of the officers as police went to arrest him at his home in Withington, south Manchester.
As police broke down a door it hit Konneh in the mouth, causing him to bleed. He then popped his head through the gap and spat at the officers.
The spray of blood and spit hit another office in the face, as Konneh screamed about coronavirus, Manchester Crown Court heard.
Konneh today pleaded guilty at a brief hearing held via Skype, to four counts of assaulting an emergency worker and a single count of stalking on March 26.
In a separate incident, a man has been jailed after he spat in a police officer’s face and threatened to kill the staff at a London hotel on the day the lockdown was introduced.
Nicolae-Raul Cozacu, 43, has been jailed after spitting at hotel staff and police in north-west London
Nicolae-Raul Cozacu smashed a bottle and threatened to kill employees at the hotel near Wembley Stadium in north west London.
The 43-year-old then spat at one of the workers when they tried to calm him down.
The incident happened on March 23 at around 2.30pm, just hours before Boris Johnson addressed the nation to announce the lockdown.
Cozacu was caught by a member of staff urinating against the wall of the hotel and was told to leave, which he refused to do, before trying to get into the laundry area.
Cozacu grabbed a bottle of alcohol, smashed it and tried to chase staff members, threatening he would kill them.
A member of staff tried to reason with Cozacu and negotiate with him, but he spat in his face.
Cozacu was arrested and taken to hospital, where he again became aggressive and abusive and spat in the face of an officer.
Cozacu, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to common assault and using threatening behaviour with intent to cause fear or provoke unlawful violence. He also pleaded guilty to common assault of an emergency worker.
He was sentenced to 26 weeks in prison at Willesden Magistrates’ Court on Friday.