Police called after large crowds gather at outside Washington pub to visit Santa
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Officers received numerous calls from concerned residents shortly before 6pm on Saturday, December 12, about a large gathering at a pub in Washington Village.
Crowds had gathered to attend a charity Christmas event held by the Cross Keys pub – where families could see Santa and his elves through a window and post their Christmas letters into a box.
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Hide AdThe event was step up with the aim to raise funds for the installation of a life-saving defibrillator in Washington Village.
However, due to the large number of people who attended, the police were left with no choice but to shut the event down and disperse the crowds.
Police have acknowledged that Christmas “looks and feels very different” this year but have urged members of the public to continue following the regulations surrounding Covid-19.
A Northumbria Police spokesperson said: “Shortly before 6pm on Saturday we received a number of calls from residents, concerned about a large gathering in Washington Village.
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Hide Ad“Officers attended the area, where a planned Christmas event was under way and large crowds were in attendance.
“We appreciate Christmas looks and feels very different this year, but we would urge everyone to ensure they continue to follow the regulations and guidance which is in place to protect us all.
“We all have a responsibility to reduce the spread of coronavirus in our region.”