The first arrests have been made after police officers were spat on, coughed at and physically attacked, including one during an incident in Peasedown, across the Avon and Somerset Police force area overnight.

Ch Supt Carolyn Belafonte said any assault on officers of this nature were particularly abhorrent in light of the public health crisis the country is facing.

She said: "Officers are simply trying to do their job to protect the public and keep our communities safe in these worrying times.

"They do not deserve to be assaulted in any way, particularly being spat on and coughed at. Anyone who does this can expect to be arrested and as we have already seen elsewhere they could face a prison sentence as a result.

"Whenever these incidents happen we put our Seven Point Promise into place to ensure the officers are getting all the support they need and we're continuing to keep our officers updated on the latest advice from the Government and Public Health England."

A 42-year-old woman has been charged with two counts of assaulting an emergency worker following an incident in Peasedown St John, Bath, at just after 7.30pm last night (Saturday 28 March). One of the charges relates to an officer being spat at. She's due to appear at Bath Magistrates' Court next month.

A 26-year-old woman has been charged with assaulting an emergency worker in connection with an incident in which an officer was coughed and spat at. It happened after officers were called to attend reports of a house party in Bridgwater, at just after 7pm last night (Saturday 28 March). The woman is due to attend Taunton Magistrates' Court next month.

A 36-year-old woman has been charged with two counts of assaulting an emergency worker relating to an incident in which officers attended a domestic-related incident in Bridgwater at just before 8pm last night (Saturday 28 March). The charges relate to physical assaults on two officers. The woman is due to appear at Taunton Magistrates' Court next month.

On Friday, we reported how police officers were out on patrol during the coronavirus crisis and were ready to enforce their new powers.