"The police have got these new powers that they are working with right now. We want our public places to be respected and utilised in the right way. We want people to make the most of at least getting out in the right kind of way, practicing social distancing.

"But this is not about heavy-handed law enforcement, I really must emphasise that. There's a balance to this. I do pay credit to the police because these are extraordinary times. They exercise their judgment.

"Policing by consent means that officers, based on the guidance, exercise their judgment on the scenarios and the situations and the circumstances they are in.

"But the fact of the matter is, if you are having a garden party or a house party, or you're involved in a mass gathering in a public place, don't be surprised if the police do come up to you and ask you to stop doing that."

On Thursday night, Mr Adderley suggested there had been "confusion" over what he meant, saying: "What I was trying to refer to was that we may get to a stage where the purposes of somebody's journey may be questioned by an officer, not searching trolleys and baskets."

He said his officers would apply common sense and discretion but stressed that police had powers under anti-social behaviour and public order laws to arrest those who refused to go home after being sanctioned and continued to sunbathe or gather in groups.

"If people continue to flout the law, they will be fined and if appropriate they will be arrested," he said. "If they refuse and continue to refuse to go home, there are other powers which could mean those individuals get arrested and they will end up with a criminal record, which is not worth it."

His tougher approach was backed by John Apter, the chair of the Police Federation, who said: "People are saying we are in a lockdown. We are not. A proper lockdown would require people to have proof for coming out of their houses. We don't want to go down that route but, if we do, then the people to blame are those foolish idiots who flouted the rules."

Meanwhile, hospital bosses warned people not to put unnecessary pressure on the NHS by flouting lockdown laws and going out over the Bank Holiday weekend.

Dr David Rosser, the chief executive of University Hospitals Birmingham, said he feared people would be "falsely reassured" by the effectiveness of measures and that hospitals could end up "reaping the consequences of that".