FLINT Coastguard says it "will not tolerate" any verbal abuse of members of its team while conducting seaside patrols in Flintshire.

The coastguard team has been assisting North Wales Police with patrols of the Flintshire coast to help ensure people aren't breaching lockdown restrictions.

And Flint Coastguard says it encountered people who had travelled over the border from England to visit Flintshire beaches, and that a "small number" of people verbally abused members of its team on Sunday as it conducted patrols between Queensferry and Talacre Beach.

The team says "again" it witnessed a number of vehicles and members of public, and as a result police were informed of a number of hotspot areas and incidents.

A Flint Coastguard spokesman said: "We will not tolerate any verbal abuse whilst undertaking these taskings, you will be reported and dealt with by police.

"Roads and car parks are coned off for your safety, please do not park in between or move cones, or obstruct emergency access gateways.

"North Wales Police is taking action accordingly and issuing fines when necessary."

Rhyl Journal:

Flint Coastguard says it "understands" that current Covid-19 guidance can be "confusing and frustrating", but that Wales is still in lock down and is closed to visitors travelling over the border from England - as it "encountered" on Sunday.

The spokesman added: "Although you can now exercise more than once a day in Wales, driving to a coastal location to walk a dog is not essential travel.

"This should be kept local to your home address without the need to drive, even if you live locally.

"We would like to thank members of the public who have approached us and asked us to clarify Covid-19 guidance and listened to our advice.

"Our message still remains the same, if you get into trouble call 999 and ask for the Coastguard and we will come to your aid.

"But coronavirus hasn’t gone away and we all need to follow the rules. Remember your choices might put people, including yourself and frontline responders, at risk. Take extra care in these extraordinary times."