The UK government has given its clearest signal yet it may be about to announce gyms can reopen early in July.

At a Downing Street press conference this evening, culture secretary, Oliver Dowden said: "The sports recovery was never just about elite sport, I know thousands of people are itching to get back to their gyms, their leisure centres, their five-a-side leagues and all the other normal fitness activities.

"We're working closely with the sector to get grassroots and community sport up and running as soon as it is safe to do so, with an aim of the start of July at the very earliest."

Gyms have been closed since 20 March, with industry body ukactive working with leading operators to lobby the government and Public Health England to get facilities open.

Dowden also stressed the role of sport in schools, saying: "As we continue to work to get children back to school, I want to stress the role that sport can play in improving young people's physical and mental health."

ukactive CEO, Huw Edwards, has said trial sites are being prepared to demonstrate how they would operate safely within social distancing guidelines: “Within the next couple of weeks we'll have showcases sites which will be an opportunity to walk through with government and health agencies," he told the Daily Telegraph. "We want to reassure people that these facilities are as safe as they possibly can be.”

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