A large police presence was seen at Wandsworth Common after ‘hundreds’ of people arrived at the park to bask the heat on Bank Holiday weekend.

Pictures show Wandsworth Common as busy as a 'festival' as people enjoyed their picnics in the sun, on Saturday, May 23.

Around 40 police officers reportedly turned up to the common with approximately seven police vans to enforce social distancing rules.

Passers-by say officers were seen separating groups of people, however, people were in 'no rush' to move.

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Several people took to Twitter to complain about the lack of social distancing.

One person said: "I passed Wandsworth Common today and it was packed, hundreds of sweaty people were practically on top of each other."

Another person said: "The numbers on Wandsworth Common shows how vague messaging from the government coupled with a British aversion to nicer weather means people can pretend like covid-19 never existed."

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Passers-by expressed their upset and say picnic-goers had 'given up'.

One person said: "Wandsworth Common was busier than I have ever seen it last night.

"There must have been well over a thousand people sat in one area all close together- people have just given up."

Another person said: 

I nearly cried on Wandsworth Common tonight, people have officially given up.

I saw hundreds of people all sat next to each other - no distancing insight.”

Met Police confirmed their reasoning for attending scenes at Wandsworth Common.

A spokesperson from Metropolitan Police said: "Police attended Wandsworth Common on the afternoon of Saturday, May 23.

"We engaged with people to remind them of government guidelines around social distancing."