Trip to to Macclesfield Forest proves expensive

A group of friends were left regretting the trip when their vehicle was pulled up by police at Macclesfield Forest.

The trio were caught speeding down a narrow lane, in the forest, at speeds of up to 60mph before being pulled over by police officers from Cheshire Police and Rural Crime team, who discovered the car was missing a front headlight and had its bumper held together with adhesive tape.

The three friends, who had travelled from Manchester, were fined £1,000 for breaking lockdown rules and risk losing their vehicle.

PC Tether said: “We eventually managed to stop the vehicle.

“To our surprise it contained three occupants all of which had travelled from the Manchester area and were not from the same household.

“On inspection of the vehicle, we confirmed front-end damage to the light and bumper held together with wrapping tape. In addition we further identified a bald tyre, bulge in the tyre wall and damage to the tyre wall (shredded).”

PC Tether and PC Moss also noticed a strong smell of cannabis coming from the vehicle and a search was then conducted.

In a statement on the Cheshire Police and Rural Crime Facebook page PC Tether said: “. A search of the person(s) and vehicle resulted in locating cannabis on two of the individuals. A drug test was completed on the driver with a negative result.

The offences were:
Prohibition order issued to the driver not to use the vehicle on a highway until the vehicle has been repaired (and will be required to be checked that the vehicle has been repaired before it is allowed to drive on the road). In this case, the vehicle was recovered and taken away.
Traffic offence report (fine) for vehicle defects
One cannabis caution issued (first time offence)
Penalty Notice for disorder (fine) issued to the driver in relation to cannabis being found with the vehicle.
Three Covid-19 Fixed Penalty notices (fine) issued to all three occupants of the vehicle.

“Their trip out which will now cost around a £1,000, if not more. Don’t take the risk.”

Lockdown regulations restrict anyone to leaving their homes only for essential reasons, such as shopping for food, work or providing care to a vulnerable person.

Anyone breaching the rules risks being issued with a fixed penalty notice, for £200, on the first occasion.