A GROUP of Covidiot families were slapped with £200 fines after they were caught enjoying a barbecue on the snowy moors.
Five adults and eight kids from three separate households were busted by cops after they drove more than 20 miles for the grilling in Waskerley, County Durham.
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Durham Police said they were called out at around 4pm on Thursday to find the group – including a seven-month-old baby – in sub-zero temperatures, with the remnants of Storm Christoph still causing 40mph gusts.
Initially the adults insisted they hadn't done anything wrong – but later came to accept they were at risk of spreading coronavirus.
They were also told they had put themselves and the emergency services in danger, should they have crashed while travelling in the poor conditions.
Cops slapped the adults with £200 fines for breaching Covid regulations and sent them on home with their kids.
Superintendent Ritchie Allen, of Durham Constabulary, said: "The vast majority of people across our communities are sticking to the regulations and we would like thank them for thinking of others and doing their bit to keep everyone safe.
'NOT ACCEPTABLE'
"However, some people are bending the rules and putting others at risk.
"While we know the stay at home guidance has been particularly challenging for many people, travelling to host a barbecue get-together with other households is not acceptable.
"Those in attendance risked not only their own lives but also those of others and could put extra pressure on an already struggling NHS.
"We would rather the public follow the rules than have to resort to issuing fixed penalty notices, but if we do get called to a blatant breach, we will look to issue fines to all those involved."
It comes just days after Home Secretary Priti Patel warned there will be "tougher enforcement" of coronavirus rules.
Ms Patel said people must realise that "actions have consequences" if they break Covid restrictions.
She added: "The numbers (of cases) are still far too high and my message to the public still is please stay at home.
"The public should stay at home and follow the rules.
"And if you don't follow the rules the police will enforce the coronavirus regulations and you will get a fine.
"Actions have consequences. We want to get the R value down, we want fewer people in hospital, we want less pressure on the NHS.
"We have got heroes in the NHS right now working very hard to save people's lives and we have got heroes in frontline policing working hard to keep people out of hospital, stopping the spread of this virus."
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