THE health secretary has warned the Government has the power to close beaches after huge numbers made their way to seaside towns across the country.

Pictures of Brighton beach showed a packed seafront as people made the most of the 30C heatwave.

There are fears social distancing rules are now being ignored.

Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole council declared a major incident after services were "completely overstretched" as huge numbers of visitors crowded on to the beaches during the day.

And Health Secretary Matt Hancock has warned that beaches could close completely if this behaviour continues.

He said: "We do have that power. I am reluctant to use it because people have had a pretty tough lockdown and I want everybody to be able to enjoy the sunshine.

"But the key is to do it with respect for the rules. Stay with your household and stay a good distance from other households.

"But we do have those powers and if we see a spike in the number of cases then we will take action."

Chris Whitty, England's chief medical officer, also reinforced the importance of social distancing at this time.

He warned that the infection rate could rise again if Government guidance was not followed.

Mr Whitty said: "Covid-19 has gone down due to the efforts of everyone but is still in general circulation.

"If we do not follow social distancing guidance then cases will rise again.

"Naturally, people will want to enjoy the sun but we need to do so in a way that is safe for all."