A couple whose lockdown rambling trip from London ended up in a full-scale rescue and them both being pulled from mud have been fined.

The pair got stuck on Sunday afternoon off Jetty Road, Warden Bay, Sheppey, in clay and mud deposits well-known by locals.

Couple pulled from mud

Couple fined

Ironically, the area is made of what is formally called London Clay - geological deposits popular with fossil hunters.

In bitterly cold conditions crews worked to free the 23-year-old woman and 30-year-old man who had travelled to the location to go for a walk.

They were checked over by medical teams before both being fined for breaching Covid regulations.

Between Friday and yesterday officers issued 107 fines in Kent. The total number issued since March 2020 now stands at 2,165.

A woman who was found to be hiring out off-road bikes was fined after officers were called to a field adjacent to the Clover Leaf Roundabout in Ashford at around 4pm on Sunday.

In total 17 people were present on the site when police arrived and the tenant, who was running the location as a business, was issued with a fine.

Officers issued fines after erratic driving resulted in two vehicles being stopped on the A2070, Brenzett at around 3.30pm on Sunday.

The two cars were travelling in convoy and driving at speed when they were stopped. The occupants explained to officers they had come from outside the area to go to the beach. Four people were issued with fines for making a non-essential journey.

Across the county a number of people were issued with fines after being stopped whilst riding off-road motorcycles, including:

• Two people in Bell Lane, Maidstone.
• A man in North Dane Way, Lordswood.
• Two riders in Westfield Sole Road, Lidsing
• A man in Pilgrims Way, Harrietsham
• Two men and two women in Eitchinghill
• Five men in Port Victoria Road, Isle of Grain

Offroad bikers fined

Assistant Chief Constable Claire Nix said: "Whilst a roadmap out of lockdown has been announced we are not yet at the stage where it has been lifted and to achieve the final goal of some normality by 21 June it is important that everyone plays their part and continues to follow the rules. This means for the time being, no mixing between households, no parties, refraining from non-essential travel and staying local.

"With new variants of Coronavirus being detected it is crucial that we continue to adhere to the regulations so we can come out the other side of lockdown without unnecessary loss of life.

"Whilst it is encouraging that the infection and death rate is falling, people are still getting ill and sadly losing their lives. So please do the right thing as by following the regulations, you are protecting some of the most vulnerable in our community.

"We are all looking forward to the end of restrictions, but we are not quite there yet. I would ask people to think carefully about each journey they make and the actions they take as, if we all play our part, we can enjoy the summer with our family and friends that we all looking forward to."

Read more: All the latest news from Sheppey

For the latest coronavirus news and advice, click here.