POLICE have urged people to observe the rules of the coronavirus lockdown after people had travelled to Pennington Flash defying the guidelines.

Officers say that, despite Pennington Flash being closed to visitors, they came across people who had travelled to the site on Saturday, March 28.

Police have reaffirmed pleas for people to observe the rules of the lockdown due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

A statement on the GMP Leigh social media pages on Saturday said: "Pennington Flash is closed to visitors, yet on attending today there were people who had driven from Worsley to walk here so not exercising locally, a couple on a six mile walk, so out longer than one hour and a couple from Higher Ince and Platt Bridge who drove there, moved the cones blocking the entrance, and were going to park up and go for a run!

"This is serious. People are dying and our superb NHS colleagues are at breaking point. Please observe the rules of the lockdown! Simples!

"Set the example, don't be the example!"