GREATER Manchester Police (GMP) has now handed out more than 400 fines for breaking coronavirus rules, figures have revealed.

The National Police Chiefs' Council has released data that shows that the force has issued 459 fixed penalty notices (FPN) between March 27 and September 21 for covid-19 breaches.

Across England and Wales a total of 18,912 FPNs have been dished out to those who have broke the law.

After the initial easing of restrictions earlier this year, statistics show that a further 179 FPNs have been handed out since "local lockdowns" were enforced by the Government.

And 72 per cent of them have been issued by GMP (128).

The force has also given four fines to people for breaking the "Rule of Six" restriction, which was rolled out by the state on Monday, September 14.

National Police Chiefs’ Council chairman Martin Hewit said: “It is crucial that people do everything they can, including limiting social contact, to reduce the spread of Coronavirus.

"The country is at a critical point, and personal choices will matter in the weeks and months to come.

“Thank you to the vast majority of the public for sticking to the rules and following the guidance in place to limit the spread of the virus.

"A small minority, however, are not following the rules, and are making decisions which put lives at risk – they should expect to have enforcement action taken against them.”

“Coronavirus is something we have all had to rapidly adapt to, and officers have had to pick up new regulations in a record pace, and apply them across the population.

"The number of instances where enforcement action is necessary at all is a fraction of the total engagement we have had with the public.

“Enforcement doesn’t and shouldn’t always equal police involvement.

"Individuals, businesses and a range of agencies all have a responsibility to ensure the virus is suppressed, and police will continue to play their part.”