A Basingstoke man has been given a fixed penalty notice after holding a house party at the weekend.

The 27-year-old man, who has not been named by police, has been reported for summons in relation to a fixed penalty notice.

Police were called to Popley at the weekend after six people attended a house party.

Officers attended Guernsey Close where they found four people inside the property that did not live there.

A spokesperson for Hampshire Constabulary told The Gazette: "Officers were called at 8.33pm on Saturday 16 January to reports of a party at a residential address in Guernsey Close, Basingstoke.

"Four people were found inside the property who did not live there. They were advised about the current legislation and told to leave.

"Two people who did live at the address were also spoken to by officers. A 27-year-old man from Basingstoke has now been reported for summons in relation to a fixed penalty notice."

As previously reported, the revellers told officers that they were unaware of the pandemic because they "did not watch the news".

The case will now be processed by ACRO, who deal with fixed penalty notices on behalf of police forces across the country.

Its website states that if it is not paid within 28 days, the man could appear in court.

A tweet from the Basingstoke Cops account relating to the call out went viral at the weekend.

It has been retweeted almost 500 times and liked more than 1,500 times.

Reacting to the news on Sunday morning, residents of Popley were not impressed by their neighbours' actions.

One resident in Popley labelled the party "totally irresponsible".

Mr Noble, who lives nearby, told The Gazette: "I think that is totally irresponsible that people should even consider it, let alone do it.

"They are not only putting other people's lives in danger, they are putting their own lives in danger.

"They haven't got much respect for their own life let alone other people's.

"It hits people of all ages, not just the elderly.

"[If they contract coronavirus,] even if they do survive there is long Covid and they could be left completely crippled for the rest of their life.

"This is something they should take into consideration when holding those parties.

"It might make them think twice if they came into contact with somebody who has been through that."

Another resident, who did not want to be named, said that "you are going to get people that always think about themselves".

"I heard some people running up and down [last night] but I didn't think much of it."

A third resident, who heard about the party on social media but did not know it was in the same area as her, added: "It is not good.

"Everyone is staying in, not doing anything and then you get selfish people doing that which means it is going on even longer.

"We didn't hear it but I saw someone posting on Facebook that there was a party in Basingstoke.

"I think it is ridiculous that they got away with it by saying they don't watch the news."