ALMOST 1,500 people in the North-East and North Yorkshire have been fined for flouting coronavirus lockdown rules.

Latest figures published by each police force in England and Wales has revealed the number of fines for every alleged breach of lockdown rules.

Recorded over a period between March 27 - four days after lockdown officially began - and May 11, a total of 1,466 fines were issued in our region.

On Teesside, Cleveland Police said it had issued 280 fines for alleged breaches in the time period.

Meanwhile Durham Police said it had issued 137 fines to people who were caught in County Durham and Darlington. 

In Northumberland, Tyne and Wear, officers for Northumbria Police issued 206 fines across the force area.

However, officers at North Yorkshire Police issued the highest number of fines with a total of 843 being handed out between March 27 and May 11.

How much are the fines?

New rules introduced on Wednesday also brought with them an increase in how much people in England could be fined.

The original fine has almost doubled to £100 if police believe an individual is flouting restrictions on movement during lockdown.

The fine, which will double for each repeat office up to a maximum of £3,200, is lowered to £50 if it is paid within two weeks.