Poms pack beaches amid 'heatwave' as lockdown scandal grips country

Despite national outrage over one of the prime minister's closest advisors breaching coronavirus lockdown rules, Brits have flocked to beaches in their thousands celebrating a Pommy heatwave of 26 degrees over the UK long weekend.

Images captured over the weekend show massive crowds of people, including large groups, soaking up the warmer weather across the country, notably in Brighton, Bournemouth, Ruislip Lido and Southend.

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Cars were also seen queuing in packed car parks or lining the sides of nearby roads as temperatures climbed to 26 on Monday (local time).

Brits shared pictures, some in disbelief of the crowds, while others were boasting about their newfound freedom after the easing of some coronavirus lockdown measures last week.

“The beaches by ours, which have only had dog walkers and joggers during lockdown, are full of families with picnics and sunbathers today,” one man wrote on Twitter.

The Southend on Sea Borough Council took to Twitter to encourage people to “think twice before joining a busy beach and to not congregate in crowds” as the country recorded more than 1600 new coronavirus cases on Monday.

Hillingdon Police said they were called to Ruislip Lido to reports of a large gathering and told residents to “use common sense when it comes to social distancing.”

There are no restrictions on how far people can go to get to the countryside, National Parks and beaches in England.

But the authorities in many tourist hot spots are urging people to stay away.

‘The Cummings effect’

Many Brits dubbed the large crowds seen enjoying the balmy weather as the ‘Cummings effect” after British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's closest aide.

The country is in uproar after it was confirmed Dominic Cummings drove 400km rom London to access childcare when everyone was being told to stay at home to fight COVID-19.

He has refused to resign, saying he had done nothing wrong.

He has faced calls to quit from MPs, Church of England bishops, police officers and scientists over his trip to County Durham, northern England, which they said had damaged citizens' trust in public health messaging.

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But he plays a vital role for Johnson, and the prime minister's own judgment has been called into question for defending him and keeping him in his job, leaving many thinking the rules did not apply to the people in charge.

"I did what I thought was the right thing to do," Cummings said during a press conference on Monday (local time) while defending his decision to travel to Durham with his wife, who was ill at the time, and his four-year-old son.

"I think... I behaved reasonably," he said.

He said he undertook the trip soon after learning that Boris Johnson had tested positive for the new coronavirus. Cummings' wife was already ill and he feared if he too fell ill neither parent would be strong enough to care for their son.

Quizzed about a drive he took with his wife and son from the family farm to a local tourist spot, Barnard Castle, he said his eyesight had been affected by his illness and they wanted to check he would be able to undertake the journey back to London.

Several Brits said the actions of both Cummings and Johnson led to the massive crowds seen at beaches.

“It’s usually quiet here. I’m going to christen it the Cummings Effect,” a woman wrote on Twitter.

“The Cummings lockdown-ignoring effect...” co-host of Good Morning Britain Piers Morgan said alongside an image of Bournemouth.

With AAP

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