Met chief: Public must obey coronavirus lockdown to keep country safe

Scotland Yard chief Dame Cressida Dick appealed to the public to co-operate in an “unprecedented situation” as police were forced to tell sunbathers defying the lockdown to go home.

The Met Commissioner said she expected that “the vast majority of people” will comply with rules barring them from going out except in limited circumstances.

But she warned that police will “deal with it” and “be very firm” if people refused to respond to officers’ encouragement to return home.

It came as police ordered sunbathers on Shepherd’s Bush Green to go home, warning them: “It’s not a holiday.”

The officers filmed themselves dispersing groups, ahead of introduction of new powers allowing them to order an end to gatherings of more than two people to stop the spread of Covid-19.

Those powers are now in place and mean that people flouting lockdown rules can also be given an initial £30 fine and taken to court if they do not pay.

Meanwhile, Dame Cressida predicted widespread public cooperation but warned police would intervene if necessary.

She added: “This is an unprecedented situation, it’s a really serious situation for the country of course and people are tremendously worried.

“We all have our role to play in keeping our country safe, keeping everybody safe.

"It’s my team’s job to talk to people and explain what the new guidance is and how you have to behave.”