Police and environmental health officers were called to a wedding taking place at a warehouse earlier this week.

Hertfordshire Constabulary says it was tipped off about an illegal gathering in Elstree on Wednesday evening.

The Jewish Chronicle reported on Thursday that the event was a "large" Hasidic wedding, and accompanied its story with an image of the bride and groom posing in front of a police car.

The event broke social distancing rules but police said attendees dispersed when they were asked to.

A video uploaded on Twitter, believed to be the event in Elstree, shows police officers wearing face masks in a warehouse with what looks like dozens of men inside.

Borehamwood Times:

Police inside the warehouse

Borehamwood Times:

A police spokeswoman said: "Intelligence was received by police that an illegal gathering was taking place inside a warehouse in Elstree, on the evening of Wednesday 1 July.

"Officers attended, alongside colleagues from Hertsmere Borough Council’s environmental health team and found a large wedding party inside the building.

"Due to breaches of coronavirus regulations, those inside were requested to leave and did so without incident.

"Follow up investigations are now being carried out by the authorities.

"We understand that people may be frustrated with the regulations but coronavirus is still a serious risk to health. Everyone must adhere to Government guidance to help mitigate the transmission of the virus."

Borehamwood Times:

A council spokesperson said: "Members of our environmental health team attended the location with the police as we have a shared enforcement role in relation to coronavirus restrictions legislation.

"Whilst we will continue to work with businesses to help and support them in reopening safely when it is legal for them to do so, we will work closely with police colleagues when reports of flagrant breaches of the legislation come to our attention.

"As restrictions are lifted, it is even more important for everyone to follow the government guidance in order to prevent a resurgence of the virus leading to controls having to be re-imposed."

Hertsmere is one of the worst affected areas for coronavirus deaths in the UK when taking into account its population.

The borough had the highest coronavirus death rate out of anywhere in the UK as of the end of May.

There have been 176 deaths of people living in Hertsmere being linked to Covid-19 as of June 19, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

Of these 176, just two have taken place since May 30, ONS data shows.