Covid: Clean-up after crowds party in Cardiff Bay despite restrictions

Clean up work is under way after huge crowds gathered in Cardiff Bay on Friday evening, despite coronavirus restrictions still being in place.

Cardiff council said a significant amount of rubbish had been left by "large groups of people intent on breaking Covid-19 restrictions".

It follows similar scenes outside the Senedd earlier in the week, when three police officers were injured.

Covid rules state six people from two different households can meet outdoors.

Cardiff council leader Huw Thomas said people who took part should be "deeply ashamed of themselves".

The council said the trail of litter left a "huge task" for clean-up staff as "bins were left unused and the ground was littered with rubbish".

"Despite the preventative measures put in place by the council, in partnership with South Wales Police, the Welsh government's coronavirus regulations were again broken by a significant number of people illegally gathering in Cardiff Bay," the authority said.

"The rules are clear, six people, from two households are allowed to meet outdoors, maintaining two metre social distancing.

"Breaking these rules significantly increases the chances of Covid-19 cases rising in the city."

BBC Wales has attempted to contact South Wales Police for comment. It is not known if any arrests have been made.

Volunteer litter picker Claire Heat, who has been helping with the clean-up since about 06:00 BST, said "there's broken glass everywhere" along with unopened bottles and cans of alcohol.

"I live down the road and you get used to the fact that you know it is going to be awful when you wake up," she said.

"The quicker we can get cleaned up and swept away the better it is for all the people that want to come down and enjoy the bay during the day."

Cleaning teams have been here since early this morning. Around me there are beer bottles, cans, crates, shattered glass, and hundreds of nitrous oxide canisters.

Some people have even left picnic blankets and a coat.

The smell of alcohol is lingering in the air.

A lot of the mess was cleared up by 08:30 but one of the cleaning team supervisors tells me they'll be here until later this morning.

Supervisor Tony Tobenas said the area had been "obliterated" by the revellers overnight, which was "demoralising" for the clean-up crew who had been called in to deal with the mess from about 04:30.

"They shouldn't be here today - they should be home," he said.

"We've had to call them in to do this. This is additional [work] and got to be paid for."

He said the mess had become worse since the restrictions allowing wider travel across Wales had been lifted.

"We are supplying bins for them and they just aren't using them. They're throwing things on the floor," he said.

Cardiff council leader Mr Thomas said police had taken over from council marshals, who had been patrolling the site in the day, after the situation "escalated".

"The clear-up will mean an unnecessary cost to the council and so the taxpayer," he said.

Lena Ciric, a microbiologist from University College London, said it was not safe to "party" due to the threat of Covid.

"Not only are there lots of people together in a particular space but, also, they're drinking so they probably won't be wearing masks... inhibitions will be lowered and they'll be closer together," she said.

"We're just not ready to party.

"It's been really difficult for all of us and, you know, I absolutely understand that we want to see our friends and we want to let our hair down because it has been a really, really difficult year.

"But, ultimately, I don't think anywhere in the world, really, we're ready to party."