Anger after 'more than 20 people play football and cricket' on Harehills Park during lockdown

Pictures have emerged of 'more than 20 people' playing football on a park in Harehills - as local residents call for lockdown measures to be followed.
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The pictures - supplied to the Yorkshire Evening Post - show a large group of people disregarding social distancing measures on the field.

In one photograph, a game of football appears to be being played.

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Police quickly dispersed the group after arriving in a van according to one eye witness.

The pictures show a large group of people on Harehills ParkThe pictures show a large group of people on Harehills Park
The pictures show a large group of people on Harehills Park

The resident, who lives near the park, told the Yorkshire Evening Post: "I don't mind people using the park doing their daily exercise.

"But when you get 26 of them flaunting the laws of what is going on with this virus I'm not too happy.

"It happens regularly.

"I've witnessed cricket games."

The pictures show a large group of people on Harehills ParkThe pictures show a large group of people on Harehills Park
The pictures show a large group of people on Harehills Park

The pictures emerge amid reports that West Yorkshire residents are lagging behind the rest of the UK in following social distancing advice and avoiding shops according to data from Google.

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Google's figures, which use location data to chart trends in people's movement, show footfall at retail and recreation establishments fell by 84% in West Yorkshire in the six weeks to the end of March compared to two months earlier.

But this was below the average reduction across the UK of 85%, when compared to a previous five-week period at the start of the year.

England’s medical director has warned now is not the time to get complacent, as he urged people to continue to follow government guidance to stay at home.

Police arrived to disperse the groupPolice arrived to disperse the group
Police arrived to disperse the group

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