THE COMMUNITY of St Helens have reflected on what they were doing during the first lockdown while Downing Street staff were invited to a "bring your own booze party".

On May 20, 2020, as many as 100 staff were invited to "socially distanced drinks in the No 10 garden" by Boris Johnson's principal private secretary, Martin Reynolds.

The 'party' is the latest in a string of alleged lockdown events organised by Downing Street staff which breached covid rules at the time.

In May 2020, government guidelines stated that you could not leave your home without a "reasonable excuse" and could only meet one person outside of your household in an "outdoor, public place - provided that you stay two metres apart".

Around 30 guests, including the Prime Minister and his wife Carrie are understood to have attended the party, with many concluding that these rules almost certainly will have been broken in the No 10 garden.

St Helens Star: Government guidance at the time stated that residents could only see one other person outside of their household in a public place and socially distancedGovernment guidance at the time stated that residents could only see one other person outside of their household in a public place and socially distanced

As the allegations highlight another example of the government breaking their own rules, the people of St Helens have shared their frustrations while reflecting on their own actions at that time.

Poignantly, Jodie Mulcrow said she was "grieving alone as [her] Grandad had just passed [while] preparing for the funeral that took place 6 days after the [government] party - where [she] had to sit alone and could not be comforted."

As they have done throughout the entire pandemic, key workers such as Alison Lowrie worked tirelessly during this period - who worked a "60-80 hour week looking after Covid patients".

Similarly, Helen Tierney joined up to "volunteer for the NHS", while Amanda Bond was "working with vulnerable and key worker children in school and then going home and trying to home school [her own] children".

Following government guidelines, Sue Grethe explained that she could only celebrate her 60th birthday in the garden with her husband and one person from another household, while Sara Price only saw her parents when dropping shopping off at the doorstep.

Like many others, Carol Williams was "isolated from [her] family, furloughed from [her] job and wondering if [she] had a job to go back to", and Lynne Harrison couldn't see family or friends as she was "isolating in a vulnerable group as per the government [rules]".

Hundreds more shared their stories of their experience at this time of the pandemic, with many isolating, grieving and struggling as they followed the strict government guidance to stop the spread of coronavirus and keep themselves and their loved ones safe.

Speaking to Sky News, Labour's deputy leader Angela Rayner said that Boris Johnson's position is now "completely untenable" following the allegations - stating that the Prime Minister has "not only broke the rules, but he's lied to the British public".