THE Mail readers have reacted after a police chief warned of the severe consequences of breaching lockdown rules after police were forced to speak with more than 500 rule-breakers.

One man drove from north of the Border to pick up his friend in Carlisle so they could head to Southwaite Services to enjoy a Burger King together.

Graham Sturgeon said: "I think the Police will ultimately be the losers in this in the long run. I’m a law abiding citizen and would always help the Police, even stepping in to help with an arrest in the past, but after all this pettiness I doubt I’ll be helping out in the future. I see no harm in driving a few miles if it helps someone’s mental health. Suicide rates are higher than ever!"

Harry Johnson said: "Hope it was a very expensive one."

graham2226 said: "Cressida Dick, the Metropolitan Police Commissioner, said the Prime Minister had not broken the law by going cycling seven miles from Downing Street at the weekend. She said her interpretation of "local" under the lockdown regulations was "going for your exercise from your front door and coming back to your front door." On that basis it would be reasonable to walk within a 10 mile radius of your home as any able bodied person is easily capable of walking 20 miles in a day. Similarly for cyclists the radius would be 80 miles or so."

Pam Minhinnick said: "Why didn’t he go on his bike he could’ve burnt the calories off and wouldn’t have done anything wrong."