Police latest: Officers in England have been told to stop people who do their work in parks and those who sit on a park bench for a long time. New guidance says neither activity is likely to be a “reasonable excuse” for someone to leave their home in the lockdown...

The guidance is from @PoliceChiefs & @CollegeofPolice.. it says people can move to a friend‘s house for several days for a ‘cooling-off’ period “following arguments at home” - and they’re allowed to buy alcohol and luxury goods when they go shopping...

The guidance spells out what is a “reasonable excuse” for people to leave their house. It suggests the way some police have been enforcing the rules is wrong....

On exercise, the guidance lists driving to the countryside for a walk as “reasonable” if “far more time” is spent walking than driving, but says that driving for a “prolonged period with only brief exercise” is not reasonable....

So, someone who drove for an hour to beauty spot for two-hour walk would not be contravening rules. Police are advised not to intervene if people stop to rest or eat lunch on a long walk, but short periods of exercise to “excuse a long period of inactivity” are not permitted...