People across Rutland, Leicestershire and Leicester are being asked to follow the current Covid-19 guidance this Christmas.

Leicestershire Police warn if people do not, they are at risk of being fined, adding in in the past two weeks, they have issued 37 fines to the total value of £23,500.

Two of these fines were £10,000 fines for holding gatherings for more than 30 people, as below:

On 12 December, two people from Leicester were issued with £10,000 fines for holding a gathering of over 60 people at a private residence in King Street, Leicester.

Other fines issues relate to the following:

Two fines issued for failure to comply with reasonable instruction

Two fines issued for participating in indoor gathering

Two fines issued under Tier 3 - holding gathering of more than 30 persons in a private dwelling in Tier 3 area - £10,000 (as above)

Two fines issued under Tier 3 - gathering of two or more people in other public outdoor place in Tier 3 area

23 fines issued under Tier 3 - gathering of two or more people in private dwelling/indoors in a Tier 3 area

Four fines issued under Tier 3 - Person from a Tier 3 area participating in gathering of two or more people in other public outdoor place outside the area

Four fines issued for failing to self-isolate

In addition, 26 businesses were visited to check on Covid compliance and to offer advice.

Assistant Chief Constable Julia Debenham said: "The party in King Street is a perfect example of how some people are deliberately making the choice to ignore the rules. As we are now so near to the Christmas and New Year holidays we cannot tolerate this minority who are blatantly putting the safety of our communities at risk.

"The majority of the public have been and continue to be amazing and making the right choices throughout this pandemic. To have a small minority put so many people at risk is something we will continue to tackle and to use the legislation available to us.

"We have taken thousands of calls throughout this pandemic about breaches of the regulations. We will continue to respond to these incidents over the festive period. Our priority is to protect public safety. If people breach the regulations and put others at needless risk, they can expect to be fined."