‘Two hundred’ football fans gather on Corby park to celebrate Rangers winning the league

Rangers fans have gathered on Abington Park in Corby to celebrate Glasgow Rangers winning the league title.

Eyewitnesses said there were ‘at least a couple of hundred people’ on the park, although that number seems to have lessened now.

Flares have been set off and people draped in Union flags and wearing Glasgow Rangers shirts are on the park just off Cottingham Road.

Gatherings of more than two people are currently banned under Covid regulations. Corby has struggled to get Covid rates down in the past two months and has consistently had one of the highest rates in the country.

Glasgow Rangers won the league this afternoon after Celtic drew 0-0 with Dundee United. It is the first time in a decade the team has won the Scottish Premiership.

One local person said: “I understand they are happy but these people are nothing more than idiots.

”They can celebrate in their own homes like everyone has had to spend every special occasion doing for the past year.”

Many people had travelled to the park - know locally as Abbey Fields - by car, leaving Kingsthorpe Avenue and Collingwood Avenue clogged with traffic.

Corby has strong historic links with Scotland after thousands migrated from the north to work in the steelworks. The town has its own Glasgow Rangers supporters group.

Corby Borough councillor Matt Keane said: “Congratulations Rangers on your title. However Corby currently has one of the highest rates of Covid in the country.

“There are plenty of celebrations that have to be put on hold and this is both dangerous, inconsiderate, illegal and completely disrespectful to the many heroes currently working around the clock to keep us save from Covid.

“Covid has torn many lives apart. I myself suffered badly after contracting the virus last year. Lodge Park has some of the highest covid rates in Northants and we each have a duty to do our bit and respect the rules regarding lockdown.

“I urge everyone to go home immediately. This behaviour is completely unacceptable. We have a roadmap out of this but it’s important that everyone plays a part and stays home.

“Otherwise we will keep going into lockdowns and putting pressure on our NHS.”

Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has blasted fans gathering in their thousands outside Ibrox, saying they could be risking lives and delay the nation’s release from lockdown.

Police officers are now on the scene.