POLICE in Scarborough will be putting on extra patrols over the next 10 days to help keep everyone safe over Halloween and Bonfire Night.

As part of those patrols, officers will be working with licensees to help ensure that people out enjoying a drink stay safe and stick to the coronavirus regulations.

North Yorkshire Police say they have reports of people binge-drinking due to the reduced opening hours, resulting in closer contact with lots of people.

Chief Inspector Rachel Wood of Scarborough and Ryedale Neighbourhood Policing Command, said: “Halloween and Bonfire Night will be very different this year due to the restrictions of Covid-19.

"Under normal circumstances, this time of year is busy for the police and with the added Coronavirus Regulations to enforce, we have made the decision to deploy additional officers over the 10-day period.

“We have been working very closely with licensees who have worked extremely hard to ensure their premises are Covid-secure.

"We’re asking for the public’s cooperation at this crucial time in the spread of Covid-19 and urge them to drink sensibly. We know the vast majority of people will stick to the rules - as they have done already.

"But we’ve had reports of people binge-drinking due to the reduced opening hours, resulting in closer contact with lots of people. This puts themselves, other customers and staff at risk.

“We have seen what’s happening in other parts of the country with areas put into local lockdowns, this is the last thing we want in Scarborough. All we want is for people to stay safe, respect others, and protect themselves and their loved ones. It’s vital that our communities are able to thrive when we come through all of this. We can only do this if we all work together and do the right thing.”

Follow this link to look up your postcode to find your local alert level and find out the guidance and rules for your area: www.gov.uk/coronavirus