PEOPLE have been accused of indulging in "extremely dangerous" behaviour which could help spread Covid-19.

Fran Carpenter, a member of New Forest District Council, has spoken out after receiving a call from a police officer based at New Milton.

He and his colleagues are attempting to enforce the social distancing rules which aim to prevent people from spreading coronavirus.

Writing on social media, Cllr Carpenter cited the behaviour police have witnessed in Barton on Sea, Milford on Sea and other parts of the district.

"Officers remain very worried about people parking up on our seafronts and across the Forest and then either walking among other people very closely, larking around with others or sitting in cars eating picnics," she said.

"People should not be doing any of this.

"It encourages others to do the same and you get a greater concentration of people in one place, potentially spreading the virus more easily from town to village.

"He (the officer) told me his concerns about ‘coughs’ travelling a long way on the wind on breezy seafronts. The virus is droplet spread and extremely contagious.

"He felt people should spread out much further on their walks than they are and also choose different times of day to walk the dog such as later in the evening or very early in the morning, when there are far fewer people around.

"He is also still very concerned about too much group activity on our recreation grounds across the district.

"Groups of youths are regularly being seen out in the evenings, quite openly interacting too closely and acting in a very dangerous way for themselves, those they are with and their families.

"This behaviour is extremely dangerous. If you are aware of such activity, or you know the people who are doing it, please report it on 111."