A couple say they were subjected to vile abuse as they confronted four young bikers for flouting safe-distancing rules.

The pair, who asked to remain anonymous, were walking along the promenade in Tankerton near Whitstable when they saw the group inside Whitstable Skate Park.

Realising the group - thought to be teenagers - had ignored “a clear sign” informing them the site was closed, the women decided to advise them to go elsewhere.

One of them told KentOnline: “Young children were going past with their parents watching these males and asking why they couldn’t go and play in the park too.

“My partner and I decided to politely advise them what they were doing wasn’t helpful or right.

“We were then told to ‘**** off’ several times and told, ‘We don’t give a ****. What’s it got to do with you?’"

In photographs taken by the women during the incident, the group can be seen making obscene gestures and trying to obscure their faces.

The couple believe the incident on Tuesday, which they later reported to police, typifies the attitudes young people have towards the government-imposed lockdown.

One of the women added: “It did strike us that others may be experiencing similar responses to the ones we received.

“It may have been a relatively minor incident but it just summed up to us, how a lot of younger people in particular seem to be viewing things at the moment.”

The week before the incident, Canterbury City Council urged people not to use the skate park, which was still busy despite the lockdown.

It said at the time: "Despite lots of signs being up and police visits to the area, it continues to be well used, flouting the social distancing rules that are in place.

"We and the police have far better things to be doing with our time than dealing with this.

"If you are one of the people still going there, please stop doing so now, for your health and the health of everybody else.

"And if you're a parent of someone who likes to frequent the skate park and you think they are there now, please get them to come home."

For the latest coronavirus news and advice, click here.

To get the latest updates in ongoing cases, police appeals and criminals put behind bars, click here.

Read more: All the latest news from Whitstable