HUNDREDS of people ignored Government advice on social distancing last weekend as they visited West Somerset beautyspots and beaches in unprecedented numbers for March.

Visitors flocked to Exmoor National Park following last week’s announcement that pubs, cafés, restaurants, gyms and leisure centres were to close, along with strict public health advice and restrictions on all unnecessary travel.

Local restaurant and café owners were forced to stop offering takeaway services over concerns that social distancing rules were not being followed.

Campsites and caravan sites were also reported to be busy, and people were taking out long-term lets on holiday cottages.

Spot checks on Minehead, Blue Anchor, and Watchet beaches showed that few people were following the two-metre social distancing advice, clustering round ice-cream vans and crowding seats and shelters.

Local MP Ian Liddell-Grainger led the pleas to do everything possible to keep the virus in check by urging second-home owners to stay away and for the tourist industry to go into “suspended animation”.

And Visit Somerset chief John Turner told tourists: “We don’t want you here. There are bigger issues out there. People are dying. Essentially, what we need to do now is take the pressure off public services.”

Minehead Mayor Cllr Sandra Slade said she had been struck by two contrasting major life-changes – the love, care and support being shown by people and the selfish and self-centred attitude of those who raid the shops.

Sarah Bryan, chief executive of Exmoor National Park, told the Free Press: “We understand people’s wish to spend time in beautiful places like Exmoor, but with lives and livelihoods at stake it’s vital that Government guidelines on social distances are strictly followed.”

For the full report, by today’s Free Press.