Coronavirus: Too many visitors to Thetford Forest forces closure

Forestry England has urged people not to visit Thetford Forest after the amount of visitors made it “impossible” to follow social distancing advice during the coronavirus outbreak.

Forestry England is ugring people not to visit Thetford Forest during the coronavirus outbreak. Picture: DENISE BRADLEY - Credit: Copyright: Archant 2019

The large number of visitors caused car parks and entrances to be overcrowded.

It said in a statement: “Covid-19: stay at home, please do not visit the nation’s forests.

“The Government has told everyone to stay at home, protect the NHS and save lives.

“This is a very sad day for us, as we ask you not to visit the nation’s forests or do anything that would put the emergency services under extra pressure.”

It comes after High Lodge, in Thetford Forest, saw large numbers of visitors which Forestry England said made it “impossible” to follow government guidance on social distancing.

It added: “Anyone who lives very close to a public forest and walks or cycles in the woods as part of their permitted daily exercise should be extra careful not to have an accident, as emergency services do not need the extra pressure.”

Subscribe to our daily coronavirus newsletter, with all the latest from where you live.