5 excuses people gave police for visiting Portsdown Hill in Portsmouth during lockdown

The toughest form of restrictions were announced by the Prime Minister on January 4 and still remain in force.

It means residents can only leave home with you have a ‘reasonable excuse’ which include going to the supermarket, exercising once a day and going to work.

However on Saturday evening, police found a number of people at the top of Portsdown Hill breaking the lockdown rules.

On Facebook, Portsmouth Police said: ‘Folks we know its a great view of the city from up here, and usually its a great place to sit for a coffee or something to eat whilst watching the world pass by…

‘Unfortunately right now we are in a national lockdown, which means you cant be here unless you have a lawful reason. We have just cleared the various car parks of cars and other than people waiting for food to be cooked no one had a reason to be out.

‘Tonights excuses that aren’t reasonable include:

- Eating our food

- Valentines meal out

- Watching the rugby

- Out for a drive

- Too cold for exercise so we stayed in the car...

‘I can assure you we realy aren't enjoying enforcing these rules, but that is where we are.

‘There is positive news on vaccines, cases and now falling numbers of people we are losing every day (Our heartfelt sympathy remains with evryone who has lost someone to this virus).

SEE ALSO: Covid surge testing to take place in this Hampshire postcode

‘Please please please do your bit by sticking to the rules.’

There were 53 new cases of coronavirus confirmed in Portsmouth yesterday, bringing the city’s total to 13,231 throughout the pandemic.

A case of the South African variant has been confirmed in the Bramley area of Basingstoke and surge testing is set to take place on residents in the RG26 postcode.