POLICE have issued warning letters to people driving to a local beauty spot to walk or exercise their dogs while the country is on lockdown due to the coronavirus epidemic.

The letters have been left on vehicles parked near Oakwell Hall in Birstall and have been issued by neighbourhood policing officers for Batley and Spen.

On social media the force warned that enforcement action would take place if necessary, but that people are advised to stay away from public open spaces while the Government lockdown remains in place.

"You should only be using your vehicle for essential journeys," they posted, adding: "If you wish to walk your dog, please do so from your home address."

The letter itself states: "Please be advised the Government has deemed it inappropriate to travel in your motor vehicle to attend at this location to do exercise / dog walk. Your registration number has been recorded by officers and further action will be taken if your vehicle is found to be at this location again during the coronavirus lockdown period.

"The Government have advised that you can exercise once a day but you must use caution and adhere to the social distancing policy by remaining at least 2 metres from other persons not from the same household when out in public.

"If you feel like you need to exercise or if you own and need to walk a dog then this must be done from your home address back to your home address and you must not drive anywhere to facilitate this while following the above advice.

"These measures have been put in place to reduce the spread of the COVID-19 virus and lessen the strain on our national health service."

The letter adds that anyone choosing to ignore the Government advice can be issued with a £60 on-the-spot fine, which doubles every time you are issued with one.

It is not clear whether the car park at Oakwell Hall is currently closed or whether the vehicles issued with the warnings were parked there or on the side of the road.

But a number of commenters on social media said they had seen police vehicles in both the car parks at the hall over the weekend.

The hall itself was closed down almost two weeks ago by Kirklees Council, along with other museums and galleries in the area. In addition all events in Council buildings have been cancelled.

The authority also moved to close all play and sports areas last week, following the additional Government advice to stop all unnecessary contact and travel.

Bradford Council announced at the end of last week that it was closing a number of beauty spot car parks, to help slow the spread of coronavirus.

The Council issued a list of car parks which are now closed, to reinforce the message that "travel to exercise is not essential travel".

These include car parks at Cow and Calf, Ilkley Lido, Haworth – Bronte Village car and coach park at Weavers Hill, Haworth Bronte Parsonage Museum, Lister Park, Cliffe Castle and Baildon Moor.

The Council said it was in response to an increase in the numbers of people treating the time that they have at home due to the Government restrictions, as a holiday and driving to local beauty spots and overcrowding them.

The official Government advice limits travel to essential journeys only and calls for people to stay local and use open spaces near to their home where possible - do not travel unnecessarily.

People are also advised to remain at least 2 metres apart from anyone outside of their household at all times.