Christmas Covid killjoys blasted after police threaten dad with £10K fine for decorating home with festive LIGHTS

Christmas Covid killjoys blasted after police threaten dad with £10K fine for decorating home with festive LIGHTS

Residents have blasted jobsworth police after a dad was threatened with a £10,000 fine - for decorating his home with Christmas LIGHTS.Trevor Payne, 46, has been proudly displaying festive lights outside his property in Cheslyn Hay, Staffs., for several years to raise money for mental health charities.But police were called to his property on Kestrel Way at around 5.20pm on Saturday evening (5/12) following reports of a "large gathering" on the street. Killjoy officers ordered him to turn off his stunning seasonal display or face a hefty fine for breaching coronavirus regulations - leaving families and children heartbroken.  Visitors said Trevor had gone to great lengths to make his garden Covid-safe by  implementing a one-way system with hand sanitising stations.They also claimed he had received full clearance beforehand from council bosses to ensure he was not flouting any Government rules. Locals have now slammed Staffordshire Police for "spoiling the small amount of festive joy" they could experience this year in their Tier 3 area. Anne Marie Beckett, 32, said her daughter Serena, three, and five-year-old son Bobby had been "loving" the lights before officers turned up on the road. The single mum said: "I think it is disgusting to be honest."Most people were wearing masks and social distancing in a one-way system through the garden.

It felt really safe and was beautifully decorated. "It was the first time we've been to this one and it's one of the best we've seen. "Everyone was just trying to give their kids a little taste of Christmas and then the police turned up. "They threatened to fine the homeowners £10,000 if the lights were not turned off immediately."The lights were lovely and the atmosphere was so nice.

But when the police shut the lights down the atmosphere turned. "We were just trying to get some Christmas spirit for the kids and now they have spoiled the small amount of festive joy we could enjoy this year."These people are selflessly raising money for Young Minds.

They are doing their bit for a mental health charity, which really needs support at the moment"In a time when charities are crying out for support Staffordshire Police deem it acceptable to queue outside Primark - but this isn't allowed?"There were about 50 people there when we arrived but it was marshalled really safely by the homeowners. "Yet you're allowed to queue with hundreds of people shoulder-to-shoulder outside shops.

It's ridiculous."Another local resident Sam Bartlett, 36, added: "You've got people going to football matches but you can't take children to see some Christmas lights to donate to a good cause. "It just seems backwards.

I'm not one of these Covid deniers and if it didn't feel safe I would not have taken the kids."But he had hand sanitising stations, markers down and a one-way system in place - it was more sensibly laid-out than some shops and pubs I've been to."He even had clearance from the council beforehand, this isn't somebody blatantly flouting the rules.

He's tried to do it by the book and still gets punished. "The police have got it tough at the moment, there's no doubting that, but they have got to use some common sense from time to time and get their priorities right." Trevor has been unavailable to comment but wrote on Facebook on Saturday night: "Police have made me switch off my lights or have a £10k fine. "Please don't waste a journey..really sorry but I can't afford £10k."Joe Taylor set up a fundraising page for Trevor's charity of choice Young Minds and has been keeping residents updated on social media..He wrote: "Trevor a local resident from Cheslyn Hay, Staffordshire, decorates is home with thousands of Christmas lights every single year to raise money for charity."As well as raising thousands over the years, local families with children love to walk and visit the lights."2020 should have been no different except for Staffordshire Police deciding to intervene and threaten Trevor with a £10,000 fine if he did not turn the lights off, despite getting clearance beforehand due to Covid regulations."As you can imagine this has angered local residents who are in full support of Trevor."Unfortunately until we can get this overturned with the local police I have set up this GoFundMe page to support Trevor's chosen charity to help out raising money of the loss of donations he'll receive because of not being able to attract local residents."Posting on Facebook on Sunday (9/12), Joe warned residents not to turn up to the lights again because police had banned Trevor from turning them on again. He said: "Do not visit this evening.

Please share. "Staffordshire Police are again advising Trevor to NOT switch on his lights tonight despite covid measures being put in place."With this constant battle with Staffordshire Police Trevor is missing out on donations to raise money for YoungMinds." Staffordshire Police also posted to Facebook asking people to avoid Kestrel Way due to a "large gathering"  - but the post has been deleted since the weekend.A force spokesperson said they received three calls about the gathering which reportedly saw visitors entering the garden and a large number of cars parked in the area.Chief Inspector David Wain, of South Staffordshire Neighbourhood Policing team, said: "Officers attended after residents expressed concern for the safety of those present at the gathering, which appeared to breach the current Covid restrictions."Officers acted in good faith and explained to the householder that the county is under Very High Alert Level Covid restrictions which are in force to prevent the spread of the infection and protect people."No enforcement action was taken after the house-owner agreed to turn off the lights for the evening."Police are working in partnership with South Staffordshire Council and the homeowner to make the site Covid-compliant so that people can enjoy the lights and make secure charitable donations in a way that keeps everyone safe and prevents the spread of the virus."

Residents have blasted jobsworth police after a dad was threatened with a £10,000 fine - for decorating his home with Christmas LIGHTS.Trevor Payne, 46, has been proudly displaying festive lights outside his property in Cheslyn Hay, Staffs., for several years to raise money for mental health charities.But police were called to his property on Kestrel Way at around 5.20pm on Saturday evening (5/12) following reports of a "large gathering" on the street.

Killjoy officers ordered him to turn off his stunning seasonal display or face a hefty fine for breaching coronavirus regulations - leaving families and children heartbroken.

Visitors said Trevor had gone to great lengths to make his garden Covid-safe by  implementing a one-way system with hand sanitising stations.They also claimed he had received full clearance beforehand from council bosses to ensure he was not flouting any Government rules.

Locals have now slammed Staffordshire Police for "spoiling the small amount of festive joy" they could experience this year in their Tier 3 area.

Anne Marie Beckett, 32, said her daughter Serena, three, and five-year-old son Bobby had been "loving" the lights before officers turned up on the road.

The single mum said: "I think it is disgusting to be honest."Most people were wearing masks and social distancing in a one-way system through the garden.

It felt really safe and was beautifully decorated.

"It was the first time we've been to this one and it's one of the best we've seen.

"Everyone was just trying to give their kids a little taste of Christmas and then the police turned up.

"They threatened to fine the homeowners £10,000 if the lights were not turned off immediately."The lights were lovely and the atmosphere was so nice.

But when the police shut the lights down the atmosphere turned.

"We were just trying to get some Christmas spirit for the kids and now they have spoiled the small amount of festive joy we could enjoy this year."These people are selflessly raising money for Young Minds.

They are doing their bit for a mental health charity, which really needs support at the moment"In a time when charities are crying out for support Staffordshire Police deem it acceptable to queue outside Primark - but this isn't allowed?"There were about 50 people there when we arrived but it was marshalled really safely by the homeowners.

"Yet you're allowed to queue with hundreds of people shoulder-to-shoulder outside shops.

It's ridiculous."Another local resident Sam Bartlett, 36, added: "You've got people going to football matches but you can't take children to see some Christmas lights to donate to a good cause.

"It just seems backwards.

I'm not one of these Covid deniers and if it didn't feel safe I would not have taken the kids."But he had hand sanitising stations, markers down and a one-way system in place - it was more sensibly laid-out than some shops and pubs I've been to."He even had clearance from the council beforehand, this isn't somebody blatantly flouting the rules.

He's tried to do it by the book and still gets punished.

"The police have got it tough at the moment, there's no doubting that, but they have got to use some common sense from time to time and get their priorities right." Trevor has been unavailable to comment but wrote on Facebook on Saturday night: "Police have made me switch off my lights or have a £10k fine.

"Please don't waste a journey..really sorry but I can't afford £10k."Joe Taylor set up a fundraising page for Trevor's charity of choice Young Minds and has been keeping residents updated on social media..He wrote: "Trevor a local resident from Cheslyn Hay, Staffordshire, decorates is home with thousands of Christmas lights every single year to raise money for charity."As well as raising thousands over the years, local families with children love to walk and visit the lights."2020 should have been no different except for Staffordshire Police deciding to intervene and threaten Trevor with a £10,000 fine if he did not turn the lights off, despite getting clearance beforehand due to Covid regulations."As you can imagine this has angered local residents who are in full support of Trevor."Unfortunately until we can get this overturned with the local police I have set up this GoFundMe page to support Trevor's chosen charity to help out raising money of the loss of donations he'll receive because of not being able to attract local residents."Posting on Facebook on Sunday (9/12), Joe warned residents not to turn up to the lights again because police had banned Trevor from turning them on again.

He said: "Do not visit this evening.

Please share.

"Staffordshire Police are again advising Trevor to NOT switch on his lights tonight despite covid measures being put in place."With this constant battle with Staffordshire Police Trevor is missing out on donations to raise money for YoungMinds." Staffordshire Police also posted to Facebook asking people to avoid Kestrel Way due to a "large gathering"  - but the post has been deleted since the weekend.A force spokesperson said they received three calls about the gathering which reportedly saw visitors entering the garden and a large number of cars parked in the area.Chief Inspector David Wain, of South Staffordshire Neighbourhood Policing team, said: "Officers attended after residents expressed concern for the safety of those present at the gathering, which appeared to breach the current Covid restrictions."Officers acted in good faith and explained to the householder that the county is under Very High Alert Level Covid restrictions which are in force to prevent the spread of the infection and protect people."No enforcement action was taken after the house-owner agreed to turn off the lights for the evening."Police are working in partnership with South Staffordshire Council and the homeowner to make the site Covid-compliant so that people can enjoy the lights and make secure charitable donations in a way that keeps everyone safe and prevents the spread of the virus."