The owners of a London gym have been fined for breaching Covid-19 rules by remaining open during lockdown. The Metropolitan police said officers were called to the fitness centre on Stean Street in Hackney, east London, on Friday following reports of a breach of regulations. After finding three people inside the gym shortly before 9.30am, police issued the owners with a £1,000 fixed penalty notice (FPN). The Met Police’s Ch Insp Pete Shaw, Covid lead for Hackney and Tower Hamlets, said: “Whilst there are certain rules around people being allowed to exercise in public under this lockdown, nowhere in the legislation does it allow people to go to gyms to work out. “Those found to be flouting the rules, as with this instance, should expect necessary enforcement action to be taken against them. We are thankful that the vast majority of people continue to follow the guidance and do their part to reduce the infection rate.” The London mayor, Sadiq Khan, declared a “major incident” in the capital on Friday due to the “out of control” spread of the virus, which was threatening to “overwhelm” hospitals. In some parts of the capital, as many as one in 20 people have the virus, while London’s average rate is one in 30, Khan told LBC on Friday. He said the London ambulance service was receiving between 3,000 and 4,000 more calls every day than it would on a normal busy day. The home secretary, Priti Patel, has defended the way police have handed out fines for lockdown breaches, stressing that there is a “need for strong enforcement”.