Coronavirus: Portsmouth people urged to 'stay home and save lives' by MPs as seafronts are packed

Images captured over the weekend show swathes of families, couples and dog walkers strolling along Southsea seafront after government ramped up the fight against coronavirus with a sweeping list of closures on Friday.

Prime minister Boris Johnson has repeatedly urged Britons to avoid unnecessary travel, but rebels who united in their thousands on Saturday prompted the closure of West Wittering beach's car parks at 6pm.

The beauty spot’s estates team said they took the action after visitor numbers ‘far exceeded expectations’ and keeping the car park open had 'encouraged an unacceptable movement of people’.

Stephen Morgan, the Labour MP for Portsmouth South and Penny Mordaunt, the Conservative MP for Portsmouth North, are now spearheading a joint plea to avoid similar recklessness in the city.

Mr Morgan said: ‘We all need to work together to beat coronavirus.

‘If you stay at home you are helping our NHS save lives. If you go out unnecessarily you are helping spread the virus.

‘We are asking you to do your bit. Please #StayHomeSaveLives.’

Both MPs have shared a striking poster online addressed to Portsmouth residents which also bears the hashtag.

It comes after widely shared shared images taken on Saturday showed hundreds of people also walking along Lee-on-the-Solent seafront in close proximity.

So far eight people have died in Portsmouth from Covid-19, with three deaths announced on Saturday evening.

QA’s medical director John Knighton added to the calls on Twitter, posting a picture of the crowded Lee-on-the-Solent seafront and writing: ‘This is the time to understand what social distancing means and to actually do it. Our actions now will define situation in 2/52 & beyond. Everyone should help the NHS to save lives.’

The prime minister has warned social distancing flouters could cause the NHS to be ‘overwhelmed’ if they do not help play a role in slowing the ‘accelerating’ spread of coronavirus.

He urged residents not to go and visit their mothers today, on Mother’s Day, in a message backed by London mayor Sadiq Khan, who said: ‘Do it for loved ones who will die if you don't.’

Mr Johnson said: ‘This time, the best thing is to ring her, video call her, Skype her, but to avoid any unnecessary physical contact or proximity.

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‘And why? Because if your mother is elderly or vulnerable, then I am afraid all the statistics show that she is much more likely to die from coronavirus, or Covid-19. We cannot disguise or sugar-coat the threat.’

National Health Service employees have also echoed the message, with clusters up and down the country uniting in hospital corridors for photos with the caption: ‘We stay here for you, please stay home for us.’

It was reported on Friday social distancing could be pushed for as long as a year to keep coronavirus at bay .

But the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies, the government’s science advisor, said it may be possible to periodically relax the measures where appropriate.

Stephen Powis, the National Medical Director of NHS England, has called on Britons to think of medical professionals by not stockpiling, so they can access essential products before or after stressful shifts.