Public sunbathing is not allowed in lockdown, health secretary Matt Hancock warned after people were seen flouting coronavirus rules.

Speaking on Sky at the weekend, Mr Hanock said: “Sunbathing is against the rules that have been set out for important public health reasons.”

He warned rulebreakers: “You are putting others’ lives at risk and you are putting yourself in harm’s way.”

Mr Hancock warned outdoor exercise could be banned if people flout the social distancing rules.

Here’s what you told us on Facebook...

Darren Blake: “Outdoor exercise should have been banned in the first place,we wouldn’t be having these problems and it would have been easier for the police to monitor.”

Mike Ash: “So the majority have to pay the price for the mindless minority?”

Tanya Legg: “It needs to be. Yes those of us who have listened to the government are going to suffer because of them but it needs to be done.

“Police need to be out patrolling and issuing fines then maybe people will take notice.”

Nikki Keech: “Good, get on with it... those flouting guidelines aren’t going to listen, so it’s the only way.”

Kayleigh Carter: “Time to stop saying it could be tightened, it’s clear these people have no brains and are not listening, so just ban it now!”

Rob Grey: “They need to tighten the rules. Outdoor exercise is not essential.

“No one has to go jogging or riding push bikes, four people don’t need to walk a dog etc.

“It would be easier for the police to manage the situation then.”

Joy Lyons: “No care for anyone but themselves.

“They’ve more or less ruined it now. Our daily exercise privilege will go and I bet most of these people have a garden too!

“I went for my daily walk this morning and that was it... but I felt like there were more people out because it was sunny and that made me uneasy.

“I don’t have a garden, so a daily walk is much appreciated.

“If it saves more lives and helps the frontline workforce, and the daily exercise is taken away, then so be it.

“I’ll go with that... but every selfish person who has broken this for the rest of us, I hope you’re happy with yourselves! I am fuming!”

June Ruth Young: “I’ve got my treadmill out, but for those who don’t have equipment but have stairs, use them.”

Sandy Lambeck: “Jog on the spot in your own garden or if you haven’t got a garden, then exercise indoors.

“Staying alive is more important at the moment and it’s important to protect your family and the NHS.

“There is a jogger that is out everyday up my road puffing, sweating and spitting.

“I had to get my husband medication as he has cancer... so when this jogger was coming towards me I crossed over!”

Kay Craughwell: “We already paying the price people couldn’t use common sense in the first place which is why lockdown this far is in place, no point expecting them to now.”

On our website, readers said...

‘BertieWoottonBassett’: “People can go out for exercise for one hour a day which is plenty of time to get their dose of vitamin D.

“The argument seems to go, if I’m sunbathing and keep two metres away from anyone I’m not doing harm. This is not true.

“Two metres is a pretty arbitrary distance. It is a compromise.

“It allows us to do essential things like going to the supermarket and minimise the risk but it doesn’t keep us 100 per cent safe as some seem to think.”

‘WestSwindon8’: “These comments by Matt Hancock are insane. It is simply not okay to threaten people with forced lockdowns because of what he perceives as the unacceptable behaviour of others, the behaviour of which is irrelevant to the point I’m making.

“It also makes a complete mockery of the position the government has been taking with regards to what they said is advice from health officials.”