Visitors sent home from Snowdonia after travelling from Bolton, West Midlands and Rhyl

Police have sent visitors home from Snowdonia after travelling from as far afield as Bolton and the West Midlands.

People from closer to home have also been reported for court summons after driving to the mountains from Rhyl, Llangollen and Wrexham.

North Wales Police is carrying out high visibility patrols in the area to enforce the current alert level four restrictions in Wales, which state that no-one should travel unless absolutely necessary to stop the spread of Covid-19.

The force has stressed that people wanting to exercise must start and finish from home.

#COVID19 patrols ongoing and we're working with @visitsnowdonia

People have been advised, sent home & reported for summons (visitors from Rhyl, Llangollen, Wrexham, Bolton & West Mids)@WelshGovernment restrictions state exercise should start & finish from home#KeepWalesSafe pic.twitter.com/hJpu8c0Smc

— HGC Uned Plismona'r Ffyrdd/NWP Roads Policing Unit (@NWPRPU) December 30, 2020

The crackdown comes as a North Wales Police Federation rep has discussed how the pressures of the pandemic have left officers in the region feeling “emotionally and mentally drained”.

Officers have been policing the coronavirus regulations since they were first imposed in March, with several changes to the rules being made along the way.

Some have also been struck down with the virus themselves, in some cases resulting in them requiring hospital treatment.

Speaking on BBC Radio Wales this morning, the federation’s general secretary Mark Jones also reiterated calls for the public to follow the rules, particularly over the New Year.

He said: “We’ve got New Year coming up. Traditionally, it is a time for people to go out and celebrate and welcome in the New Year, but this is just one year.

“We’re asking people to please stay at home, follow the rules, and just for the greater good keep everyone safe because again it’s my colleagues who are having to put their safety on the line to go out and enforce these rules.

“I speak to many of my colleagues on a daily basis and they’re absolutely exhausted and emotionally and mentally drained.

“We’ve got some of my colleagues who have quite poorly with coronavirus at the moment and some require hospital treatment.

“Thankfully most are recovering at home, but it all adds to these pressures on police and so certainly for New Year, we really do need people to help us by following the rules and keep themselves safe.”