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Coronavirus: British tourists in Benidorm ignore Spanish restrictions by drinking outside

British tourists in Spain have been caught on camera ignoring Spain’s strict measures to combat the coronavirus.

Police in the popular Costa Blanca resort of Benidorm were forced to ask Britons to return to their hotels on Sunday.

The tourists showed little concern for Covid-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, and were seen drinking outside.

A Briton with his shirt off said: "It's just a flu" (AP)
A Briton with his shirt off said: "It's just a flu." (AP)

Thousands of new cases have been recorded across Europe in the past few days.

Spain is the fourth worst affected country in the world for coronavirus, according to John Hopkins University, with more than 9,900 cases.

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There have been 342 deaths in Spain and 530 recoveries.

Spain is in a two-week long state of emergency in an effort to curb the spread of coronavirus.

Schools and universities are closed, along with restaurants, pubs, bars and hotels.

People there are only permitted to leave their homes to buy food and medicine, go to hospitals and banks or care for the young or elderly.

Footage filmed in the seaside resort of Benidorm on Spain’s eastern coast showed police asking Britons to return to their accommodation.

A man pushes a trolley full of drinks in Benidorm, Spain (AP)
A man pushes a trolley full of drinks in Benidorm, Spain. (AP)
A Spanish police officer tells Britons in Benidorm to get off the streets (AP)
A Spanish police officer tells Britons in Benidorm to get off the streets. (AP)

One topless Briton is filmed saying: “It’s just a flu that we all need to get over.”

He adds: “Have a beer. Ciao, guys.”

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Another man is seen pushing a shopping trolley full of alcoholic drinks up a hill.

A police officer wearing a face mask is seen asking a group of British men to return to their holiday apartments.

Tourists are captured on camera cheering from a balcony as others drink outside a bar below.

At the weekend, Britons were filmed singing “We’ve all got the virus, na na na na” outside an apartment block in Benidorm while Spanish police tried to usher them inside.