Two people from different households were fined by Gloucestershire police for driving from Swindon to Tewkesbury via Cirencester to deliver a birthday card.

Chief Constable Rod Hansen said the two individuals made the nearly 100-mile round trip to deliver the card to a friend.

He said it was “clearly a flagrant breach” and they were fined.

Under lockdown rules, all non-essential travel is banned and you are not allowed to meet with people from other household inside.

In England, People aged 18 or over can be fined £200 for the first offence, lowered to £100 if paid within 14 days.

The chief constable also gave numerous other examples about how people were being fined and warned for breaching covid rules during the lockdown.

He said: “An individual was warned for travelling 130 miles under the support bubble exemption.

“Warnings were given to several people in Gloucester who were gathering in the street.

“We have had two people from a different household who we came across that were delivering a birthday card to a friend in Tewkesbury.

“We understand the desire to want to do that, but it could have been posted, and they drove from Swindon via Cirencester to deliver that birthday card. Clearly a flagrant breach and they were fined.

“In Cheltenham, three people from separate households were in the same car. When our staff engaged with them to explain the rules, ask them to go home and separate, some of them refused and they were fined.

“A bit of attention to the Cotswolds who we have had coming in as visitors and causing some community concerns there. On Saturday night four men from separate households were in the same vehicle.

“We believe they were there for hare coursing, but we could not necessarily prove that at the time but as a deterrent they were fined for clear breaches of the covid regulations.

“And finally a man from Stroud was fined gathering together lots of friends and engaging in a house party.

“Across the county that is the sort of thing we are coming across on a day to day basis.”