Police said they entered a restaurant in east London and found “a group of 12 people hiding in a dark room”.

They “appeared to have gathered in order to play games” in breach of the strict Tier 4 restrictions in the capital at the time.

All 12 were issued fixed penalty notices and the restaurant has been referred to the local authority for a fine.

The restaurant owner allegedly tried to stall officers and prevent them from entering, claiming that the only people present were workers.

Chief Inspector Pete Shaw said: “The rules under Tier 4 are in place to keep all of us safe, and they do not exempt people from gathering to play games together in basements. The fact that these people hid from officers clearly shows they knew they were breaching the rules and have now been fined for their actions.”