Squatters drove 200 miles to occupy holiday cottage during lockdown

Authorities, locals and holiday letters are trying to deter people from going on 'isolation retreats', but some are managing to slip through the net.

A couple have been turfed out of a Welsh village after driving 200 miles to occupy a local holiday cottage.

The pair travelled from their home in Surrey to stay at the rental property during the lockdown, prompting suspicion from neighbours.

They told locals they had bought the property in Poppit, overlooking Cardigan Bay, but police were called after cracks started showing in their story.

A neighbour told The Sun: ‘They must have spotted the place on a website and realised it was empty due to Covid-19.

‘They turned up with a car, a van towing a motorcycle – they also had their own pots and pans.

‘To start with they said they had bought the cottage – then they changed their story and said they were thinking of buying it. I smelled a rat and called police.’

For all the latest news and updates on Coronavirus, click here.

For our Coronavirus live blog click here.

It’s believed the cottage can normally be rented for £1500 a week.

A spokesperson for Dyfed-Powys Police said: ‘Police were called at 2.10pm on Tuesday, 7th April 2020 to a report of a possible break in at a property in Poppit.

‘Two people were arrested on suspicion of burglary. Following police enquiries they were released no further action at this time for the burglary and given a fixed penalty notice for non-essential travel.’

Airbnb banned so-called ‘isolation retreats’ after a backlash against hosts advertising their properties during the lockdown dragged on for two weeks.

Only key workers are now allowed to stay in properties while restrictions in place, although the policy hasn’t stopped new controversies.

Last week a furious villager in Snowdonia confronted a couple who had driven 180-miles to an Airbnb property and did not appear to be key workers.

The landlady insisted they had been kicked out of their home in Oxford because of the pandemic. 

Authorities around the country have repeatedly urged people not to come to beauty spots like Snowdonia for tourism.

The UK is entering its fourth week of lockdown, with ministers set to review by Thursday whether restrictions can be changed.

The public have been warned not to expect any changes by Dominic Raab, who is standing in for Boris Johnson as the prime minister continues his recovery.

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

For more stories like this, check our news page.