POLICE broke up a party in St Athan on the weekend, with one guest travelling more than 200 miles for the occasion.

Despite Alert Level Four restrictions remaining largely unchanged in Wales for the next three weeks, South Wales Police had a 20 per cent increase in coronavirus-related calls on the weekend.

South Wales Police received more than 550 coronavirus related calls on the weekend, and gave out 278 fines for Covid-19 breaches.

Five people were fined for attending a 30th birthday party in hired accommodation in St Athan; one guest had driven more than 230 miles from Yorkshire for the event.

In Cardiff city centre a vehicle was stopped, with four occupants fined. The car's owner was reported for driving with no insurance and had their car seized.

A barber, operating from his Bridgend home, was also fined along with two customers. Plus, four men were caught leaving a business premises in Swansea city.

South Wales Police also dispersed numerous parties and gatherings across South Wales over the weekend, with those in attendance fined.

Fines were given to

  • Seven attendees of a Tonypandy house party who’d travelled from Newport, Cardiff, Swansea, Pontypool and Wolverhampton.
  • 14 for a house party in Riverside.
  • Seven adults who attended a party at a flat in Adamsdown with their children.
  • Nine attendees of a house party in Mountain Ash.
  • Eight attendees of a house party in Maesteg.
  • Seven for a house party in Ely.
  • Seven for attendees of a party in Seven Sisters, Neath.
  • Five attendees at a gathering in Treforest.
  • Three attendees of a gathering at a house in Gabalfa.
  • 47 attendees of five different house parties and gatherings in Cathays.
  • Six for a 17th birthday party in Canton.
  • Four members of three separate families gathered at an address in Canton.
  • 10 for two separate house parties in Grangetown.
  • Six for a house party in Pentwyn.

Enquiries into a number of incidents are also ongoing with South Wales Police's partners - including Joint Enforcement Teams, universities and local authorities - and retrospective action will be taken where needed and appropriate.

Chief Superintendent Andy Valentine, who is leading South Wales Police’s response to the coronavirus pandemic, said: “Flagrant breaches cannot be tolerated and we will continue to respond to concerns from our communities, carry out proactive patrols and work closely with our local authority partners on the Joint Enforcement Teams to ensure those who blatantly or repeatedly breach the rules are met with enforcement action."