WORCESTER MP Robin Walker has hit back at criticism over social distancing at an event he attended but admitted “it would have been better if we had been further spaced out”.

Mr Walker attended a Battle of Britain event for a Polish flying ace who crashed near Malvern.

A picture posted on social media shows Mr Walker posing as part of a group of other community leaders on the day.

Speaking to the Worcester News, after annoyed readers contacted us, Mr Walker said: “The photograph was taken as I was leaving an event which had been carefully managed and socially distanced, taken on 13th September at a commemorative event which was held outside in the open air in Madresfield.

“As the guidance was tightened the following day with the PM’s announcement on the rule of six, I would not have been able to attend an event of this nature after the change to the guidance and have not done so since.”

The photograph of the group appears to show members standing much less than one metre apart.

READ MORE: 'UFO' with flames spotted over Worcestershire

READ MORE: Anti-social teens blamed for vandalism in Upton-upon-Severn

Mr Walker added: “In the photograph all the people are standing over or around a metre apart and not facing towards each other, but I appreciate it would have been better if we had been further spaced out.

“I did bring a mask to the event and was wearing it on the way into it but as other dignitaries including the mayor of Worcester and councillors Riaz and Denham were not wearing masks I thought it would be inappropriate to wear one at an outdoor commemorative event.

“Since the further guidance published on the 14th September, I have increasingly worn a mask to my outside engagements as well as those that take place inside.”

City and county councillor Lynn Denham, who has worked as a hospital pharmacist, also attended the event.

She said: “Precautions were in place at the open-air event. I guess looking back, I was closer than I should have been.”

The pictures follow a group of Malvern councillors apologising after a photo showing them not observing social distancing was shared online.

In the photo by cllr Beverley Nielsen she, along with fellow councillors Daniel Walton, Tom Wells and John Gallagher are at a table inside what appears to be a house, with some of the participants in closer proximity than the government’s 1.5 metre rule.

Worcester News contacted cllr Jabba Riaz and Mohammed Iqbal who were also in the picture with Mr Walker but they were unavailable for comment.