Jogger Stopped on Thames Path for 'Breathing Heavily'


Covid marshals warn man running near Hammersmith Bridge


Covid marshal on the Thames Path. Picture: @GaryPurnell1

A man running along the Thames Path near Hammersmith Bridge was warned by council employed Covid Marshals that his breathing was too heavy.

Gary Purnell was making an unaccompanied run by the river when he was stopped by the marshals employed by Hammersmith & Fulham Council and told that the latest advice was not to jog at his location.

Mr Purnell is reported by the Daily Mirror based on his own account on Twitter as arguing with the marshal and his supervisor and saying that he was allowed to run there as part of his permitted daily exercise. He posted a video of the exchange online and called the advice the ‘craziest thing ever’.

He said to the marshals, “So you’re telling me I cannot run along here, along the waterfront where everyone is walking. And you stopped me to tell me that I need a mask.”

The marshals said that they weren’t asking him to wear a mask and that they couldn’t stop him running but it was a problem when he passed close by to other people.

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January 15, 2021