The York rugby club which was at the centre of a Covid outbreak following a series of events over the Christmas period has been fined a total of £2,000 for breaches of coronavirus regulations.

City of York Council launched an investigation following the events at the York Acorn rugby club on Thanet Road on December 20, 26 and 30.

Matt Boxall, the council's head of public protection, confirmed that as a result of the investigation, the club has now been issued with a series of fixed penalty notices.

"These include failing to ensure people served with alcohol remained seated, serving alcohol without a substantial meal and failing to prevent table groups from mixing together," Mr Boxall told The Press.

"These notices relate to incidents that took place across the 20th, 26th and 30th December 2020. The total fine issued is £2000, although that can be reduced to £1,500 if the issues are accepted in full and paid within 14 days.”

As reported in The Press on January 14, at least 12 people fell ill with Covid after the event on December 30 - among them the club’s rugby chair Craig Lucas and his family. They later recovered.

Mr Lucas told The Press in January that 78 people had attended the event, which was held the day before York moved from Tier 2 into Tier 3.

He claimed the club had spoken with the police and council in advance was organised in line with Tier 2 guidance.

The event, which included live music, was part of a series of events the club laid on over Christmas, which it described collectively as the ‘York Acorn Christmas Spectacular’.

Acorn Rugby Club said today itm would be making no comment.