Police checks being carried out on the Hampshire and Berkshire border

It comes as the government has advised the nation not to engage in unnecessary trips between tier areas to stop the spread of coronavirus. 

Onlookers reported police checks off the A339 yesterday, in between Headly and Sandleford, where the Hampshire and Berkshire border meets. 

A member of the public said: “Around the border of the Mark 4 Kingdoms area yesterday (Monday), an elderly family friend was stopped and asked what they are planning on doing in Berkshire and was then turned back round to Hampshire.

“She was quite shook [over it].”

Then went onto add: “Although checks are useful it has turned into something that instals fear in the vulnerable when even trying to go for a shop. It is clearly not working for the rule-breakers who will use backroads or bus routes.”

However, police have said they are not preventing people from one area to another, but are doing their best to inform the public about the restrictions.

Assistant Chief Constable Maggie Blyth said: “As we move into a position from this weekend with parts of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight being covered by four different tiers based on local authority boundaries as opposed to postcodes, I’d like to reassure our communities that our approach will continue to be to engage, explain and encourage people to comply with the regulations in place in their area. We will use common sense and discretion to determine what is reasonable. However we will enforce where blatant breaches are observed.

“We will not be preventing people from travelling from one area to another, but are working with ferry operators and partner agencies to ensure that the public is informed about the restrictions in place. Everyone must observe the restrictions from the highest tier that they are travelling from or to at all times.

Police have also urged the public to take personal responsibility over the next few weeks as there has been a huge rise in the number of coronavirus cases.

Assistant Chief Constable Maggie Blyth said: "Limiting the spread of infection is everybody’s responsibility, and not just down to the police, and we will continue to work with businesses, government, hospitality owners, local authorities, universities and others.

"I’d urge people to take personal responsibility over the next few weeks. Just because you can travel to different areas doesn’t mean that you must. With the new Tier 4 restrictions in place, there are restrictions on leaving home which people should be taking account of.

“Please consider this before putting yourself and your loved ones at risk. Think about how essential your journey is before travelling between Tier 1 and Tier 2 and follow the regulations to stay in or outside of Tier 4 area, unless it is for work, health or other exempt reasons”.

It comes after the home secretary Priti Patel appeared on the BBC's Today programme this morning to say enforcement would be carried out, where necessary. 

The Home Secretary was grilled on how police officers will be able to enforce coronavirus restrictions this week as thousands of Britons were told they could no longer travel to see their families for Christmas. 

Presenter Martha Kearney asked: "Specifically on this question of enforcement, what are your guidelines for the police? Are they going to be expected to be bursting through the door on Christmas Day to find out how many households are eating their turkey?"

Priti Patel said: "There is no difference right now throughout the Christmas period. There is a fundamental distinction though between policing in the public space and the private space. And the police will continue to be visible in the community.

"They will continue to police in a very proactive way as they've been doing."

As the BBC host stressed on the "specifics" of the enforcement, she blasted: "You see the police everywhere, Martha. The police are at the stations, the police are walking across high streets. They are engaging the public as they always have been, consistently so."