Police will enforce face masks in England shops 'as last resort'

Face coverings become mandatory in shops in England on 24 JulyImage caption: Face coverings become mandatory in shops in England on 24 JulyThe head of London's Metropolitan Police has said she hopes people will be “shamed” into complying with new rules on wearing face coverings in shops. Commissioner Dame Cressida Dick said police would respond as a last resort if shoppers without face masks refused to leave and were getting “aggressive”.

She told LBC: "Our approach to the regulations has been throughout to only use enforcement as a last resort." She said the "vast, vast, vast majority of people do comply" with the restrictions. Face masks will become compulsory in shops in England from Friday. Different nations in the UK have different rules on masks. In Scotland, they are already compulsory in shops and on public transport. They're mandatory on public transport in Northern Ireland, and will become so in Wales from next week.