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Covid: Leigh dispersal order made over 'large group' at seafront

Geograph/Chris Wood The waterfront at Old LeighGeograph/Chris Wood
The dispersal order has been put in place at Old Leigh, on the Thames estuary near Southend

A 24-hour dispersal order has been put in place after reports of a large group of people congregating at a seafront and behaving anti-socially.

Essex Police said the order at Leigh-on-Sea was in place from 18:30 BST on Tuesday to 18:30 on Wednesday.

It said it was a result of "repeated breaches of the government's Covid-19 regulations".

Under current restrictions, two households or groups of up to six people can meet outside in England.

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Police said the order was in place at Old Leigh along the seafront from Belton Bridge car park to Bell Wharf Beach.

It also included the area within Leigh Park Road, Broadway and Church Hill.

The order gave officers powers to direct anyone believed to be behaving anti-socially to leave the area, the force said.

It added: "The order has been put in place to prevent crime and disorder and prevent people living in the area being harassed, alarmed or distressed."

BBC Look East weather presenter Dan Holley said parts of Essex reached 23.5C (74F) on Tuesday, and nationally temperatures reached 24.5C (76F), which was a new date record for 30 March.

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