POLICE made 555 stop checks of vehicles in Pembrokeshire yesterday (Thursday).

Eight tickets were issued for a breach of Covid-19 regulations.

These included people driving to the beach and making a 40-mile trip to a garden centre.

Tenby Neighbourhood Policing Team, who were involved with the Pembrokeshire Roads Policing Unit and Pembrokeshire County Council in the checks, commented: "Travelling 80 miles to see the beach is not a valid excuse. 40 miles to go to a garden centre is not acceptable."

The checks during the day at north and south points in Pembrokeshire also detected four motoring offences.

Visits to holiday lets which are believed to still be occupied were also made yesterday (Thursday) by a member of Tenby Neighbourhood Policing Team, working with Pembrokeshire County Council's public protection and trading standards officers.

A team member said on Twitter: "Any breaches were referred to Pembrokeshire County Council who will progress any possible prosecutions."

Pembrokeshire County Council has been contacted for a comment.

The authority's leader, Cllr David Simpson, has repeated the 'please stay at home' message to locals and visitors.

In his daily coronavirus update yesterday (Thursday), he added: "I want to remind everyone that we are still in lockdown in Wales.

"It is vitally important that we continue to adhere to the advice and not to undertake non-essential travel.

"I understand some people are driving to our beaches to exercise and I have to point out this is against the government advice.

"The virus is still affecting people's lives.

"Why would you risk catching the virus after all the hard work you have already done?"