TWO men have been ordered to pay more than £500 each for breaching coronavirus restrictions in North Yorkshire.

York Magistrates' Court heard that one had travelled 60 miles and another at least 40 miles from their home addresses during the stay-at-home lockdown restrictions last winter.

Jayne Tooke, prosecuting for North Yorkshire Police, said officers on an anti-poaching patrol waited by a vehicle parked at the entrance to a field off the A6055 on February 27.

Two men with a lurcher and other dogs came out of the field near Little Holtby near Northallerton towards them.

One was James William Tyers, 54, who lived in Byron Road, Chilton, Durham, 60 miles away.

He did not attend court and was convicted of breaching coronavirus restrictions in his absence.

Andrius Varnelis, 39, of Brookfield Road, Bradford, claimed he did not have to attend court and was ill.

He was convicted in his absence of breaching coronavirus restrictions.

Ms Tooke said police saw him travelling from the A1(M) along the A59 to the A658 near Harrogate on February 14.

He told them he was "out for a drive".

Both men were each fined £440 and ordered to pay a £44 statutory surcharge and £90 prosecution costs.