POLICE were called after a gathering saw people allegedly breaking social distancing rules and act antisocially.

Angry residents claim more than 40 people held a barbecue in a field at the bottom of the Fairview estate in Braintree.

Maxine Roane, who lives on the estate, said: “They completely disregarded social distancing putting themselves and others at risk.

“Whilst I accept the longer this lockdown goes on the harder it is for everyone, people are forgetting the reason behind it.

“People are dying because of this virus, younger healthy people included.

“I have family who are nurses in Essex hospitals and they are telling me the horrors of this virus.

“We all just need to be sensible and protect ourselves and others.”

Witnesses called the police and officers arrived on the scene shortly after to explain the Government’s restrictions on meeting in public.

An Essex Police spokesman said: “We received information about a number of people gathering in the Mountbatten Road area on Friday, May 22.

“It was been established the people had gathered to remember Scott Gilhooly, who died following an assault at the Swiss Bell pub earlier this month.

“High-visibility patrols were taking place in the area and officers spoke with the people who had gathered.

“The officers engaged with them, explained the government restrictions about meeting people from other households, and encouraged them to follow them.

“No enforcement action was taken.”