A petition has been launched by a Dorset woman urging Prime Minister Boris Johnson to order people to stop people leaving their own county during the lockdown.

Cathrine Merrifield, 23, was prompted to start a petition after the chaos at Durdle Door at the weekend.

She also raised concern about the problem of litter and fires linked to disposable barbecues including the devastating Wareham Forest blaze.

Miss Merrifield said she was concerned about the damage being done to Dorset and also the risk of the virus spreading.

She said: "Currently our county has one of the lowest rates of Covid-19. We do not have large hospitals or the greatest number of staff to man these hospitals. Also a third of our population is made up of those over 65 years old.

"I am terrified and so are many other people that those travelling will bring the virus with them and it will spread rapidly through our small county."

Miss Merrifield is from Lytchett Matravers and is currently living with her dad who is self-isolating.

She added: "I decided to do this after speaking to family and friends who have been isolating for ten weeks.

"They are scared to go outside even when their isolation period is lifted.

"I know this may fall upon deaf ears but something needs to be done.

"Even if it does not gain traction I want people to see the damage they are doing to our county, and the risk they are bringing to our elderly and vulnerable."

The petition, which launched on Sunday on change.org, already had 1,500 signatures by yesterday afternoon.