Driver took a 170-mile trip ‘to have a break from wife and kids’

A motorist who was stopped during a 170-mile round trip on Easter Sunday told police he had needed to “have a break” from his wife and children.

The BMW driver was spotted by officers on the A30 near Launceston, Cornwall, who pulled him over and asked the reason for his journey.

When he explained his urge to get out of the house during the Bank Holiday, he was reminded of the rules.

Devon, Cornwall and Dorset Roads Policing teams tweeted about the incident, writing: “Taking your BMW out for a spin on a 170 mile round trip to have a break from the wife and three kids is also not an essential journey.

“The roads are much quieter but there are still people who don’t get it.”

Health Secretary Matt Hancock told Sunday’s Downing Street press conference that the future path of the Covid-19 pandemic would be “determined by how people act”, adding: “I’m really glad that at the moment the British people this weekend are doing their bit.”