TEENAGERS appear to be ignoring social distancing guidance following the coronavirus pandemic, as police continue dealing with groups of young people in Salisbury.

Last night Wiltshire Police officers were called to a number of scenes in which groups of teenagers were spending time together, either innoncently or deliberately, despite the Government's lockdown announcement on Monday.

In a plea to parents, a statement from PS Dave Whitby said: "Please, please, take the time to talk to your children and explain this to them, for their safety, for your safety, for our safety and overall to try and slow down the rate of infection so we can keep the NHS in a position where they have the capacity to treat all the people that become badly ill.

"If we can’t get this message across to everyone in our community then there may be a real risk of the NHS not being able to provide the care required for all of those admitted to hospital."

Police would also like parents to consider the following when letting their children outside, based on their own observations:

- Groups of teenagers are not staying two metres apart from one another

- Officers may have dealt with different people and different incidents throughout their shift

- Police are not yet routinely wearing protective equipment

- The incubation period for coronavirus can be up to five days without people showing symptoms

-None of the people that police are speaking to know if they, or the people they are with, are carrying coronavirus

-None of the police officers currently patrolling can definitely state they are not carrying corona virus and their exposure to the public is quite high

- As the virus spreads the chances of exposure will become greater everywhere

- If your teenager has been out today and has spoken to police they will have increased their risk of contracting the virus, on their return home they will then increase the risk to you and everyone else in your household

- The vast majority of teenagers in the community are sensible, helpful and probably a bit scared. A small minority are reckless, ill-informed or socially irresponsible.

PS Whitby added: "I was a teenager for seven years and a police officer for the last 30.

"I know that teenagers don’t always listen to the advice the police give them."