POLICE officers handed out fine to two men who were among a group found playing basketball at a closed court.

The fence at the Old Heath Recreation Ground, in Colchester, was "ripped down" last week.

Colchester Council closed all its sports courts and skateparks earlier this year after groups began congregating despite Covid rules.

Officers handed out fines to two men, aged 21 and 19, who were among about 20 adults and children found playing basketball at the closed court last week.

The force had upped patrols of skate parks and recreation grounds across the town over the sunny weekend.

It said it had also had complaints about people using the area around Firstsite as a skate park.

A spokesman for the Colchester team said: “We have been receiving a large number of complaints around the use of Colchester skate parks and the area around Firstsite being used as a skate park.

“The local council have closed all skate parks, ball courts and basketball courts and therefore they should not be being used as the link below shows.

“People should also not be congregating around Firstsite to use the area as an unofficial skate park.”

Colchester Council closed the skate parks and courts after as many as 80 people congregated at the skate park near Leisure World.

It sparked concerns about large groups and a lack of social distancing.

Following the police patrols of skate parks during the weekend, resident Ciaran Sainty said: “While people breaking the barriers to get into the skatepark is clearly wrong, I’m struggling to understand why the skateparks are closed yet children’s play areas are open?”