Do you remember Bournemouth's biggest lockdown moments?

This week marks six months from the date Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced national lockdown and what better way to look back than to remember some of the most outrageous stories.

When the Prime Minister declared Britain was going into lockdown on Sunday, March 22, who knew what mayhem was in store.

Here are five of the most memorable moments:

1. Who could ever forget the mayhem that was declared a "major incident"?

Bournemouth Echo:
Crowds on the beach in Bournemouth (Andrew Matthews/PA)

During one of the sunniest weeks in June thousands flocked to the beaches, despite being told to stay away. 

BCP Council, Royal Bournemouth Hospital, Poole Hospital and  the police declared it a "major incident".

Services were left completely overstretched as visitors arrived in large volumes resulting in widespread problems of illegal parking, excessive waste, anti-social behaviour, gridlock on roads and prohibited overnight camping.

Check out the original story here

2. Panic buying mania and stockpiling outrageousness.

Bournemouth Echo:

Empty shelves left us all annoyed and confused (Image: PA)

Back in March, the fury of the nation presided over the empty shelves of our supermarket’s and toilet roll wasn’t the only thing people were missing out on.

From pasta to yeast, potatoes to cat litter, our readers let us know about all the essentials being nabbed and hoarded in the town.

As a result, supermarket restrictions were put in place to limit the number of people from a single household entering, the number of items someone could buy and the times in which we could visit the stores.

3. When Dorset Police dazzled in the Clap for Carers outside the Royal Bournemouth Hospital. 

Clap for our carers ran for 10 weeks during the height of lockdown and saw us all stand outside our homes or clap out the windows on a Thursday at 8pm.

But on April 9, the police came out in force with a dazzling show of blue flashing lights for the initiative. 

4. The cycling gorilla raising money for wildlife rangers in Africa - putting a smile on beach-goers faces. 

Bournemouth Echo:

Marcus Clarke from Southbourne started cycling from Southbourne to Sandbanks dressed as a gorilla at the beginning of May. 

The fundraiser aims to raise vital funds to help rangers in Africa who are suffering at the hands of the coronavirus.

Mr Clarke is still cycling, fundraising and putting a smile of everyone's faces as he cycles our gorgeous coastline.

5. Lovely bundles of joy brightening our sometimes lonely lockdowns.

Bournemouth Echo:

Amid the misery of the pandemic and the potential loneliness of lockdown, the news stories that made many of us smile were the tales of babies born during the pandemic.

When times were tough and it seemed that we were stuck in a dystopian world there was nothing quite like seeing fresh new life blooming.

Although the gorgeous bundles of joy could not be shown off in the ‘normal’ way to friends and family, the town enjoyed seeing the charming newborns across The Bournemouth Echo