A GROUP of lockdown flouters were slapped with thousands of pounds of fines after travelling to Ulverston for a New Year's Eve party.

A total of 11 Fixed Penalty Notices (FPN) were issued by Cumbria Police on New Year's Eve - ten of which were handed to a group of people who had travelled from Merseyside to Ulverston.

The group had rented accommodation for the night which is in breach of Tier 4 regulations.

The address was visited on New Year’s Eve and ten people were given FPNs of £200 each.

As those in attendance had been drinking, they were told they should remain at the address until the following day and leave as soon as practicable.

A spokesman for Cumbria Police said: "The overwhelming majority of people in Cumbria respected the Government restrictions on New Year’s Eve – restrictions which are in place to reduce the spread of the virus, protect the NHS and save lives.

"A total of 11 Fixed Penalty Notices were issued on New Year’s Eve. However, 10 of these were as a result of a single incident where a group from Merseyside had rented an accommodation outside Ulverston for the night – in breach of numerous Tier 4 regulations.

"The Tier 4 regulations are clear: A person responsible for carrying on a business consisting of the provision of holiday accommodation situated in the Tier 4 area, whether in a hotel, hostel, bed and breakfast accommodation, holiday apartment, home, cottage or bungalow, campsite, caravan park or boarding house, canal boat or any other vessel, must cease to carry on that business.

"In Tier 4 it is an offence to: be out of your home without a reasonable excuse, meet up with more than one other household, stay overnight away from home and let out a home for the purpose of a holiday."

Assistant chief constable Andrew Slattery is urging the public to follow the rules to prevent the spread of the infection.

He said: “Cases of infection are continuing to rise rapidly in Cumbria.

“It is important that people remember that these Government regulations are in place to stop the spread of the infection, save lives and protect the NHS."