A plague of bonfires and litter bugs appears to have descended on us this last week.

As we report on page two of today's The Mail, beachgoers in Walney have been warned by the fire brigade to stop setting blazes on the beach, while in Ulverston parks have been left strewn with rubbish and litter - some right next to bins.

Cumbria Fire and Rescue was called out the three separate fires on Walney, which fire fighters say could have spread onto South Walney nature reserve and killed wildlife.

And in Ford Park in Ulverston, park authorities have had to shut the gates from 9pm onwards each night because large groups of people keep congregating there.

There are two obvious causes of this recklessness - the easing of lockdown and the warm weather.

The easing of lockdown restrictions, as announced by Prime Minister Boris Johnson this week, allow for pubs, barbers and restaurants to reopen, where it is safe to do so.

He did not announce the end of the coronavirus pandemic, which is still raging across the globe.

If anything, the coronavirus pandemic should have taught people to be more respectful to our emergency services, who are on the frontline of the pandemic, and to the community leaders and volunteers who keep our society moving.