Image source, Getty Images

Police have urged people to stay at home and save lives as the country heads towards the Easter Bank Holiday weekend.

Sussex Police Deputy Chief Constable Jo Shiner said the force were “well resourced” and officers will be on patrol in urban and rural communities to reassure and support over the Easter break.

She said: “We remain well-resourced and are still dealing with all types of crime, continuing to police our roads and tackle criminality in the community.

"As ever, our plea is for everyone to do the right thing this weekend; stay home, save lives and protect the NHS.

"Our officers and PCSOs will continue to engage with people and explain what the government guidance is and why it has been put in place.

"We want to encourage people to do the right thing in following that guidance and only where absolutely necessary will our officers take enforcement action.

Police are looking for someone captured on CCTV on the same road as missing teen Owen Harding.

Huw Oxburgh
Local Democracy Reporter

An East Sussex local authority is calling for council tax to be suspended until the end of the coronavirus outbreak.

In a statement issued today, Lewes District Council leader Zoe Nicholson and deputy leader James MacCleary called on the government to cover the cost of council tax bills for at least three months.

The councillors say the intervention – which they say has also been called for by the Local Government Association – would save most Lewes residents an average of £481 during the crisis.

Councillor Nicholson said: “As the coronavirus crisis escalates, thousands of residents in Lewes District will be unable to pay their council tax, and may fall into arrears if steps are not taken to suspend payments.

“Rapid action is needed, or many more families will be under unbearable financial pressuring in the coming weeks.

“Councils have been hit hard by government funding cuts over the last five years. Every penny is now vital to ensure Lewes District Council can continue to operate. Not only that, but council tax also funds East Sussex Fire and Rescue, Sussex Police, and East Sussex County Council.

“Under these proposals, councils would receive equivalent funding from central government, to make sure they can continue to provide the services that people in Lewes District rely on.”

Under the proposals, the council would be able to suspend all council tax bills for households in Bands A to E, with a 50% reduction in payments across other bands.

The Treasury would be expected to make up the shortfall in tax revenue with direct payments to councils, the councillors say.

A couple and their two daughters found dead in their home all had gunshot wounds, a coroner hears.

Rob England
BBC News

Image source, The Scout Association

Scouts have rallied together using 3D printers to make more than 100 visors for NHS front-line staff treating coronavirus patients.

The volunteers from Sussex and Surrey got together equipment "normally used for hobbies" and re-purposed them to make and assemble the visors.

Doctor and scout volunteer Debbie Donovan said: "It doesn’t get any better than knowing your visors are being used on the front-line - by GPs assessing possible cases, district nurses going into people’s homes and medical staff on hospital wards."

Bear Grylls, the UK's chief scout, said he "could not be more proud" of the volunteers, and said their skills were supporting "our amazing NHS heroes".

Tim Loughton, Conservative MP for East Worthing and Shoreham is supporting one of his consituents as he climbs the equivelant of Mount Everest in his home, all for charity.

Tracey Crouch, Conservative MP for Chatham and Aylesford, is hoping to spend her time in lockdown learning how to take photographs of the moon.

Tonbridge and Malling's Tom Tugendhat says after being locked in his bedroom for four days, and only allowed out in the garden on his own after developing a "slight cough", he's been using his time to plant vegetables.

Peter Kyle, Labour MP for Hove and Portslade, is calling for a minister for social care to be part of the cabinet.

Helen Whately is the minister for social care, but does not sit at the top table of government.

Mr Kyle said: "The very system of social care is spreading contagion within and between care homes.

"This emergency is becoming a catastrophe.

"For the remainder of this crisis government should have a specific cabinet minister for social care. Matt Hancock is Secretary of State for health and social care, but understandably dominated by the gargantuan challenges of health: hospitals, testing and PPE."

Huw Oxburgh
Local Democracy Reporter

Council staff in East Sussex are being redeployed to new roles during the coronavirus outbreak.

From rubbish tips to theatres, in normal times councils in East Sussex run a wide range of different services for residents to use and enjoy.

But since the start of this month, much of the day-to-day work with the public is no longer running, leaving some council staff unable to do their normal jobs.

In East Sussex, like other parts of the country, these staff are being redeployed, both to vital services facing a greater demand and to new services set up in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

For the county council this has seen staff from the library service, trading standards and parking teams redeployed to other areas needing support.

An East Sussex County Council spokesman said: “Our dedicated staff are working in extremely challenging circumstances to deliver essential services to communities across East Sussex and, although we have plans in place to ensure as little disruption to services as possible, these are unprecedented times.

“With greater demand on services and the effect of COVID-19 on our own staffing levels, it has been necessary for some people to take on extra responsibilities and be redeployed to those areas which need the most support.

“There are already staff from a wide range of services supporting our COVID-19 response, including colleagues from the library services and parking and trading standards supporting both the registration service and emergency planning teams.

“We are currently working with our workforce to collate a list of skills, experience and capacity to ensure that staff are only asked to undertake roles they have the skills and experience to perform safely with little on-the-job training.”

A community food delivery scheme has begun, using the cars of home workers.

Image source, PA Media

Despite the warm weather, "many people" followed the advice to stay at home over the weekend, Sussex Police has said.

However, the force said it was "disappointed" by reports of people "holding house and street parties, meeting up to exercise in groups and congregating at beauty spots and some beaches".

On Saturday, two people were summonsed to attend court after allegedly having a barbecue on Hove beach.

Speaking to BBC Radio Sussex, Dep Ch Cons Jo Shiner of Sussex Police said a "small number of fines" had been handed out but the overwhelming message was one of gratitude.

"Most people have done been very responsible," she said, adding that enforcement was an "absolutely last resort".

Family members say they are "devastated and bewildered" after the bodies were found last week.

The British actress famously played Pussy Galore opposite Sean Connery's James Bond.

The National League board is to ask clubs in its three divisions to vote on whether to end the season without further matches.

Four men have been arrested on suspicion of murder and remain in police custody.

Vulnerable people are turning to their local radio for support during the coronavirus lockdown.

The Coastguard urges people to heed government advice after the boat was escorted to deep waters.

Scientists at the University of Brighton have returned to their labs to make more than 20 litres of hand sanitiser.

Professor Hal Sosabowski, the University’s Professor of Public Understanding of Science, said: “Hand sanitiser is in short supply so we decided to help by filling that gap in the supply chain as best we can.

"Many frontline NHS staff may struggle to get enough supplies in the middle of this tragedy and that is why we want to help even though we know that this is probably a drop in an ocean.”

Prof Sosabowski, who has also collected up university eye shields to distribute to GP surgeries, said the scientists used the school's labs, solvents and chemicals to create the sanitisers.

Bob Dale
BBC Live reporter

When they found themselves facing an uncertain future because of the lockdown, this Sussex couple decided to face the challenge head on and set up their own business.

Tanya Gupta
BBC News

Brighton beach has stayed quiet as people heed government advice on stemming coronavirus transmission, Sussex Police have said.

Brighton and Hove City Council had to put out an alert, external yesterday, warning too many people had gathered on the seafront to meet friends, making social distancing "impossible".

But this afternoon Sussex Police tweeted saying people were following advice and urged them to "keep it that way".

A forecast of warm weather had led authorities across the country to warn people to stay away from coastal areas, national parks and other visitor destinations.

Tanya Gupta
BBC News

Two people have been summonsed to appear in court after having a barbecue on a beach in Hove.

People have been told to stay at home to prevent the spread of coronavirus during what is predicted to be the UK's warmest weekend in six months.

The pair will be summonsed under the Coronavirus Act 2020, Sussex Police said.

In a tweet, the force said it was “disappointed”, adding: “Thank you to everyone that stayed away from beauty spots and beaches today. We know it isn’t easy.”