Youths break into closed Liverpool sports centre – for a game of football
One team even wore bibs during lockdown-breaching kick around
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Youths in Liverpool are thought to have used bolt cutters to break into a sports centre – for a game of football.
The youngsters hacked their way into the Everton Park facility, which is currently closed because of coronavirus restrictions, for a kick-about on the site’s open air pitches.
When police arrived to break up the game, they found the whole thing was so organised that one side was even wearing fluorescent bibs.
Several spectators had turned up to watch the match.
Although officers said they “spoke to” some players after being called to the incident on Saturday morning, most were said to have already left the scene. No arrests were made or fines dished out.
Inspector Paula Oldham, of Merseyside Police, said: “We are aware of potential Covid breaches at this location at weekends and officers are working alongside Liverpool Council to address this issue, with additional police patrols in the area.
“We will continue to respond to reports of breaches of current legislation, and proactively patrol to ensure members of the public are adhering to restrictions.”
A spokesperson for Liverpool City Council, which runs the closed facility, said it was now looking at increasing security measures “due to issues with people cutting locks and forcibly removing fence panels at the pitches in order to play football in breach of lockdown rules”.
The incident was not the only illegal kick-around had this weekend.
Fines were handed out by Leicestershire Police to 15 boys playing football in the village of Fenny Drayton
In a post on its Facebook page, the force’s Market Bosworth neighbourhood team said: “It’s fair to say that none of us on the team joined this organisation to stop lads playing football. But for the time being - these are the rules and this is the law."
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.