Essex Police have issued more than £18,000 in fixed penalty notices overnight to hundreds of people who broke Covid-19 restrictions.

Describing those who were fined as "reckless" a police spokesperson said: "It's after hundreds of people chose to attend unlicensed events in our county to flout coronavirus restrictions, endanger themselves and others, and put extra strain on our NHS on New Year's Eve."

Police first rushed to halt a party at a conservation-run church in East Horndon, where hundreds of people had already gathered in the building. Officers were attacked with objects thrown at them and threatened as they tried to reason with the crowd.

However, police seized the equipment and dispersed the party before midnight. Three arrests were made, including a 27-year-old man from Harlow, arrested on suspicion of possession with intent to supply Class A drugs, a public order offence and offences under The Health Protection (Coronavirus) Regulations 2020.

Another was a 22-year old man from Harlow, arrested on suspicion of a public order offence, possession of cannabis, and of offences under the Covid regulations and the third was a 35-year-old man from Southwark, who was arrested on suspicion of possession of Class A and B drugs.

Later, police seized a generator at an unlicensed event at an abandoned warehouse in Brentwood and dispersed around 100 people. Two people were arrested: one for failing to provide details, and the other on suspicion of drink driving.

In yet another incident, a woman was issued a £10,000 fine for organising a house party with around 100 attendees in Bury Road, Sewardstonebury.

Again, police seized the equipment inside and dispersed the crowd, issuing more than 25 fixed penalty notices in the process.

A dispersal order remains in place there until midday today (Friday, 1 January).

Assistant Chief Constable Andy Prophet said: "I'd like to firstly thank everyone across Essex who stayed at home and did the right thing last night.

"You're protecting our NHS and you've allowed us to attend a large number of callouts across the county, including arresting three people on suspicion of murder in Rayleigh following the tragic death of a man in Worcester Road.

"Unfortunately, there were others who decided to blatantly flout the coronavirus rules and regulations and, ultimately, they decided that partying was more important than protecting other people.

"We've seized their equipment, arrested five people, and issued a large number of fines to those who think this behaviour is acceptable.

"We need you to keep yourselves, other people, and the NHS, safe. Thank you again to everyone who spent their New Year's Eve in a responsible, legal, way. Stay safe, Essex."