POLICE were forced to break up a group on a high street after they were thrown out of a property for breaching coronavirus restrictions.

Officers were called to the property in New Milton on Friday night.

A spokesman for Lymington and New Milton Cops said: "Officers were called to a property in the New Milton area with concerns of a Covid breach.

"Persons were ejected from a premises, however continued to linger on the high street. A Section 35 Dispersal Order was authorised shortly after which enabled officers to lawfully move people away from the designated area."

The incident comes a week after two nights of trouble in the New Forest town, also involving people flouting coronavirus restrictions.

A man was assaulted by a group of people who punched him to the ground and people in New Milton Conservative Club said they had been warned about a "fracas" outside the premises.

Dispersal orders were used to move large groups of people.