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British holidaymakers jetting to Ibiza or Majorca will have to wear face masks whenever they leave their hotel rooms, it emerged today.

Governors responsible for the Balearic Islands confirmed they were tightening the rules hours after Catalonia became the first Spanish region since the end of the country’s state of emergency to make them obligatory at virtually all times in public.

It has not yet been confirmed if they will be mandatory on the islands’ beaches.

Catalonia, which includes Barcelona and the Costa Brava, was expected to make sunseekers wear them even when they were topping up their tans, although on Wednesday it emerged the exceptions on their use extended to sunbathing.

British holidaymakers jetting to Ibiza or Majorca will have to wear face masks whenever they leave their hotel rooms, it emerged today. Pictured: British tourists without masks in Magaluf, Majorca, on Wednesday

The new rules on face masks have already kicked in in Catalonia and are expected to start applying in the Balearic Islands from Saturday.

Britons who were pictured arriving in Majorca on Wednesday were not wearing masks.

People who flout the order to cover up their mouths and noses will be hit with a fine of €100 (£90).

Up until now face masks in Spain have only been obligatory in closed public spaces like shops as well as public spaces outdoors where social distancing of around five feet could not be guaranteed. 

Governors responsible for the Balearic Islands confirmed they were tightening the rules hours after Catalonia became the first Spanish region since the end of the country's state of emergency to make them obligatory at virtually all times in public. Pictured: Ibiza

Governors responsible for the Balearic Islands confirmed they were tightening the rules hours after Catalonia became the first Spanish region since the end of the country’s state of emergency to make them obligatory at virtually all times in public. Pictured: Ibiza 

The change means that tourists and locals will leave themselves open to fines if they go for a morning stroll along an empty stretch of beach or leave their spot on the sand to walk to a beach bar.

People practicing sport and children under six are being exempted.

Those who share the same roof will also continue to be allowed to take off their face masks to travel by car, meaning a British family who hire a rental vehicle will not face any action if they are stopped for not covering up their noses and mouths while they are on the road.

The new rules on face masks have already kicked in in Catalonia and are expected to start applying in the Balearic Islands from Saturday

The new rules on face masks have already kicked in in Catalonia and are expected to start applying in the Balearic Islands from Saturday

Police are expected to be advised to give foreign holidaymakers who may be unfamiliar with the new rules a warning before they start fining people.

There has been no news yet on whether other Spanish regions including the Costa del Sol will follow suit in the next few days.

The rule changes in Catalonia and the Balearic Islands come on the back of mini-lockdowns caused by new Covid-19 outbreaks in La Marina north of Lugo in Galicia, and the Segria region of Lleida province near Barcelona.

The lockdowns, which have led to police closing down the regions to outsiders, have affected around 300,000 people.