Covid: Dozens fined over south Wales house parties

South Wales Police said 240 people had been fined as officers broke up numerous house parties

More than 200 people were fined for breaking Covid rules after being caught going to house parties and a surprise birthday celebration over the weekend.

Wales is currently under a "stay-at-home" lockdown, meaning it is against the law to leave home for anything apart from an "essential" reason.

South Wales Police said 240 people had been fined as officers broke up numerous house parties.

Ch Supt Andy Valentine said they were "blatant breaches".

Under current coronavirus restrictions in Wales people must stay home and not travel, apart from essential reasons, or be in breach of the law.

Under the level four restrictions no-one is allowed to meet up with another household indoors - unless you are a single household and have a "bubble", and mass gatherings are banned.

Since Saturday people have been allowed to meet up with one other person from outside their household for exercise.

• What are Wales' lockdown rules?

• Rule breakers could 'make pandemic longer

From Friday to Sunday South Wales Police officers broke up numerous house parties and fined people for driving to drink with friends in homes, parks and gardens, and for visiting mountains.

In Cardiff officers caught rule breakers attending house parties in Cathays, Landaff North, Fairwater and Ely.

Surprise birthday party

At one party in Cathays 20 people were fined, with officers saying some had travelled from Swansea, while 20 people were caught at a party in Maerdy, Rhondda Cynon Taf,

In Clydach, Swansea, the organiser of a surprise birthday party was fined.

A group of eight people from different Cardiff households were fined after being stopped by officers while on their way home from visiting Pen-y-fan.

In Vale of Glamorgan, nine people were fined after a party was held at a house in Llanbethery, and four others after attending a gathering at a house in Rhoose.

Meanwhile, three people were fined by officers after travelling from Oxfordshire to Pencoed for a religious ceremony.

In Merthyr Tydfil, police caught three adults drinking in a car park, and seven at a house party in Twynyrodyn.

The enforcement came just hours after First Minister Mark Drakeford announced Wales would remain in a level four lockdown for at least another three weeks.

South Wales Police said the week before it had broken up a gathering of people in a Shisha bar in Swansea, and six people training at a boxing club in Maesteg.

Ch Supt Valentine said: "While we fully appreciate how challenging these restrictions have been, the very fact that they have been extended demonstrates that now is not the time for complacency.

"Blatant breaches such as the ones witnessed by our officers over the weekend compromise the progress that has been achieved by the vast majority who are following the rules, and places additional strain on our already-stretched health services."