Army’s top tank base is hit by coronavirus outbreak after army wives dubbed ‘the Covid queens’ held illegal Botox party
- A group of military wives held a botox party at the Bovington Garrison in Dorset
- Five women tested positive and forced 30 soldiers into isolation for two weeks
- Group had invited a beauty therapist from covid-hit Preston for the treatment
Army wives have caused a spike in coronavirus cases at Britain’s top tank base after inviting a therapist from virus-hit Preston for an illegal botox party.
The group, who joked they were the ‘covid queens’ on Instagram, invited the beauty therapist to the married quarters in Bovington Garrison, Dorset, four weeks ago.
Five wives later tested positive – forcing another 12 women and 30 soldiers into isolation for 14 days.
One resident told The Sun: ‘These women crossed a line and it has raised eyebrows in the village.
‘The wives were advised not to do it, but they went ahead anyway and they really made a party of it.’
The resident confirmed there had only been five confirmed covid cases in the local area – and all were women who’d been to the botox party.
The group, who joked they were the ‘covid queens’ on Instagram, invited the beauty therapist to the married quarters in Bovington Garrison, Dorset, four weeks ago
Camp commanders were said to have been furious once they found out, but could do nothing to punish the women.
Some 30 troopers were ordered to take compulsory Covid tests and self-isolate after coming into contact with the women.
And a Spar in Wool was forced to close because one of the women had visited it.
The company said: ‘We temporarily closed the store in order to execute a professional contractor deep clean as a precautionary measure.’
The therapist – a registered doctor – is thought to have dodged the local lockdown rules by travelling 250 miles to the base. She and the 30 soldiers all tested negative.
Both Prince William and Prince Harry learnt to drive tanks at Bovington, home of the Royal Armoured Corps’ training centre.
Both Prince William and Prince Harry learnt to drive tanks at Bovington, home of the Royal Armoured Corps’ training centre. Pictured: Challenger 2 Main Battle Tank
Recruits are taught how to use Challenger II tanks, Warrior fighting vehicles and other armoured vehicles.
An Army spokesman said: ‘We can confirm a small number of individuals tested positive for Covid-19 in Bovington Garrison four weeks ago.’
They said there had been no further positive cases.
Sam Crowe, head of Public Health at Dorset Council, said: ‘We were made aware of a number of cases at Bovington camp who were identified through military and NHS test and trace services.’
The therapist, from Preston, should have been isolating at home after the city was put into lockdown on August 8.
All residents were banned from mixing with any other households indoors or in a garden in a last-ditch attempt to curb soaring rates of coronavirus.
They were also be urged to avoid meeting with friends in any setting, such as pubs and restaurants.