Coronavirus: Anglian Water staff 'abused' over closed parks

Anglian Water closed its seven water parks in March and said they will remain closed

A water company said its staff have had "to face abuse" over the decision to close their leisure sites.

Anglian Water said its water parks in the east of England would remain closed until safety was "certain".

Earlier this week the government said people in England can spend more time outdoors and drive as far as they like to open spaces.

But the utility company said it had made the "difficult decision" to keep the sites shut.

Anglian Water has seven water parks in Northamptonshire, Rutland, Cambridgeshire, Suffolk and Norfolk.

Anglian Water said it was a difficult decision to keep the parks closed

The sites were closed ahead of the government lockdown in March, but this week the rules around social distancing were changed.

Places such as golf courses, tennis clubs and fisheries have started to reopen and the National Trust has reopened car parks at some of its sites, with more to follow next week.

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But Anglian Water said after "balancing the needs and wishes of all our active communities" with safety and being able to meet all the guidance on social distancing it would keep the sites closed.

It tweeted: "Please respect the difficult decision we have made at this time. Protecting our colleagues has been at the forefront of our minds since the lockdown began, even though hundreds are out working every day to keep essential services flowing.

"We don't want our colleagues to face abuse as has sadly been the case recently."

Anglian Water said the "health and safety of our colleagues and visitors is our top priority."